Aaron Murray elected to skip the theatrics.
He didn’t wear a helmet, a sleek jersey or shoulder pads. There was no loud hip-hop music blaring from the speakers over the Woodruff Practice Fields for the annual UGA Pro Day on Wednesday.
Murray, elected to keep it simple, unlike Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. He ran on his surgically repaired left knee and tried to dazzle NFL scouts with his mobility, mechanics and ball movement.
Murray completed 47 of 54 passes. He had three passes dropped and two caught of bounds. A wide receiver slipped on another play, and he threw one inaccurate pass on a windy day.
“I showed these teams that they don’t have to worry about the knee,” Murray said. “They don’t have to worry about drafting someone who’s not going to be able to participate in OTAs, (exhibition) season and the season. I’m ready to go, and I’m ready to play.”
Murray used the script that Sam Bradford used when he prepared for the 2010 draft. Quarterback coach Terry Shea, who also prepared Bradford, Robert Griffin III, Josh Freeman and former Bulldog Matthew Stafford, led Murray’s session.
“It was a very ambitious script because we moved him around so much,” Shea said. “That was paramount because we wanted to demonstrate … that he was 100 percent healthy. I believe he answered those questions. The NFL teams wanted to see what kind of stroke that he has. He has very clean mechanics. I think he demonstrated that, and he drove the ball when he needed to drive it.”
Representatives from 23 NFL teams were on hand. The Falcons sent three scouts — Bob Harrison, Anthony Robinson and Billy Devaney. Jacksonville coach Gus Bradley attended with general manager David Caldwell.
Murray was injured against Kentucky in November and underwent surgery. After a rigorous rehabilitation process, he was cleared to perform.
“There are absolutely no limitations,” he said. “Doctors have given me the green light to do everything. I have a full go.”
Murray estimated that he threw about 30 to 40 passes while warming up before he began his scripted plays.
“I was doing the cutting and sprinting,” he said. “We put a lot of throws on the run, to the right and the left in order to show everyone that I’m healthy. Then these teams, if they draft me, don’t have to worry about if I’m going to have to sit out, or something like that.”
Murray hoped to improve his draft stock. He’s rated in the tier of quarterbacks behind Manziel, Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater and Central Florida’s Blake Bortles.
He’s counting on NFL teams to like something they may have seen over the course of his 52-game career when they review tape.
“If he didn’t have that knee brace on, I don’t think anybody would know what happened to him,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “He moved well. There was no hesitation. There was no flinching. Change of direction. Dropping back, stepping up and firing the football. I think he did a good job today.”
Shea thinks Murray compares most similarly to Stafford.
“Matthew had such a quick arm, about as quick as I’ve ever been around,” Shea said. “But Aaron can drive the ball, and he might even be more advanced than Matthew was because he’s had four years of great SEC football.
“He’s played a lot of games. He’s got that intelligence factor that NFL teams will recognize. He has that high quarterback IQ.”
About the Author
