The Buffalo graduate feels like the perfect culture fit for Mike Vrabel's linebacker squad.
Mike Vrabel is a culture guy. So when a draft prospect lands on his table, he can assess how good the player is, but he also needs to know if he can fit into the culture he has created now as the head coach of the New England Patriots.
Well, if you want culture, especially in the linebackers room, look no further than 2026 draft prospect Red Murdock.
Murdock is a graduate of Buffalo and one of the more physical specimens in the mix of linebackers in the draft, who has the makings of a team captain down the road.
As the current Patriots captain, linebacker Robert Spillane turns 31, and the linebackers' room is starting to thin out a bit after players exited in free agency last month. A player like Murdock could be a sign of things to come in Foxborough, with his physical prowess and on-the-field ball knowledge.
Both of which are very standout, despite many other names expected to go ahead of him.
Murdock also already has some ties to New England. He was a high school teammate of TreVeyon Henderson at Hopewell, VA. He then spent a postgraduate year at Fork Union Military Academy, where the goal was to better his chances of a scholarship.
It paid off big as he became a three-star recruit, joining Buffalo in 2022.
Murdock saw 42 games over four seasons in Western New York. He was a redshirt freshman and was named first-team All-MAC as both a sophomore and a junior in 2024 and 2025. He set an NCAA record of forced fumbles (17 in three seasons). He would also tie the forced fumbles record of seven in 2024.
He also knows how to hit you, really hard.
A downhill mentality when he is chasing the ball on the field, Murdock also shows you that he is good at overpowering a blocker in a 1-on-1 scenario. His acceleration shows you just how much of a good blitzer he can be when it comes to those types of packages.
He also has what the Patriots are always looking for in their young guys and small-name free agents: special teams experience. Despite being an off-ball linebacker, Murdock has the potential to be on multiple special teams units. His speed, agility, and ability to force fumbles could be of assistance down the field after a punt or a kickoff.
All and all, his stats look a little something like this: 42 games (31 starts) | 2,196 defensive snaps, 339 special teams snaps | 364 tackles, 49 missed tackles (11.9%), 39.5 TFLs, 17 FFs, 2 FRs | 41 QB pressures (9.0 sacks, 6 hits, 26 hurries) | 92 targets, 75 catches surrendered (81.5%), 768 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT (incl. 1 TD), 4 PBUs | 2 special teams tackles, 3 missed special teams tackles (60.0%) | 4 penalties (incl. 1 declined/offsetting)
Murdock is a prime example of not having the god-given athletic talent that many high draft picks possess. However, we've seen players like this in the past in New England rise to the forefront of the team through diligence and phenomenal coaching, especially in the player's rookie year.
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