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Adrian Murrell

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Adrian Murrell
No. 29, 22
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born: (1970-10-16) October 16, 1970 (age 54)
Fayetteville, North Carolina, U.S.
Height:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school:Leilehua (Wahiawa, Hawaii)
College:West Virginia
NFL draft:1993 / round: 5 / pick: 120
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards:5,199
Rushing average:3.8
Rushing touchdowns:23
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Adrian Byran Murrell (born October 16, 1970) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the New York Jets in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL draft after playing college football for the West Virginia Mountaineers. Murrell played in the NFL for nine seasons from 1993 to 2000 and 2003.

Early life

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Murrell attended Leilehua High School in Wahiawa, Hawaii.

College career

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Murrell arrived at West Virginia University in 1990, when Michael Beasley started for the Mountaineers. The Mountaineers went 4-7 that season, with Murrell only seeing limited time. He only rushed for 48 yards on seven attempts that season.

In his sophomore year, 1991, Murrell and the Mountaineers began to increase their product. The Mountaineers went 6-5 that season, while Murrell saw the starting role. He rushed for 904 yards and seven touchdowns on the year, with an added 100 receiving yards.

In his final season as a Mountaineer, his junior year of 1992, Murrell produced the best season of his college career. While the Mountaineers sunk back, going 5–4–2, Murrell made national headlines. He rushed for 1,145 yards and six touchdowns, along with 244 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.

Murrell is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 10+1⁄4 in
(1.78 m) 		206 lb
(93 kg) 		31+1⁄2 in
(0.80 m) 		8+3⁄4 in
(0.22 m)		 4.59 s 1.62 s 2.68 s 4.17 s 33.5 in
(0.85 m)		 9 ft 9 in
(2.97 m)		 12 reps

New York Jets

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Murrell left West Virginia after his junior season, and was selected in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL draft by the New York Jets.[1] In his first two seasons as a Jet, Murrell rushed for a total of 317 yards and a touchdown.

In 1995, Murrell began to break out as a player. He rushed for 795 yards on the season, along with a touchdown. He also added 495 yards and two touchdowns receiving. The following year, 1996, Murrell posted his best performance of his professional career. He rushed for 1,249 yards (4th in AFC, 7th in NFL) and six touchdowns that season, along with a receiving touchdown.

In 1997, Murrell recorded 1,086 yards rushing with seven touchdowns and caught two receiving touchdowns.

Arizona Cardinals

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Following the 1997 season, Murrell was traded to the Arizona Cardinals. Murrell gained 1,042 yards and eight touchdowns in 1998 playing in all 16 games. He went on to rush for 95 yards and catch 2 passes for 16 yards and a touchdown in the Cardinals 20-7 Wildcard playoff win over the Dallas Cowboys, a team that had beaten Arizona twice in the regular season. This was Arizona's first postseason win since 1947. In 1999, he only rushed for 553 yards, but caught 49 passes for 335 yards.

Washington Redskins

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Following the Arizona stint, Murrell arrived in Washington with the Redskins for the 2000 season. But Murrell only saw limited action during the season, and recorded 50 rushing yards.

Carolina Panthers

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Murrell was signed by the Carolina Panthers in the 2001 offseason to serve in a backup role, but was cut before the season began to make room for Richard Huntley on the active roster.[2]

Dallas Cowboys

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After a two-year break from the NFL, Murrell returned in 2003 to play for the Dallas Cowboys. In Murrell's final professional season, he recorded 107 yards rushing.

NFL career statistics

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Legend
Led the league
Bold Career high

Regular season

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Year Team Games Rushing Receiving
GP GS Att Yds Avg Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD
1993 NYJ 16 0 34 157 4.6 37 1 5 12 2.4 8 0
1994 NYJ 10 1 33 160 4.8 19 0 7 76 10.9 20 0
1995 NYJ 15 9 192 795 4.1 30 1 71 465 6.5 43 2
1996 NYJ 16 16 301 1,249 4.1 78 6 17 81 4.8 30 1
1997 NYJ 16 15 300 1,086 3.6 43 7 27 106 3.9 23 0
1998 ARI 15 14 274 1,042 3.8 32 8 18 169 9.4 30 2
1999 ARI 16 12 193 553 2.9 22 0 49 335 6.8 23 0
2000 WAS 15 0 20 50 2.5 13 0 16 93 5.8 12 0
2003 DAL 3 0 28 107 3.8 17 0 4 32 8.0 14 0
122 67 1,375 5,199 3.8 78 23 214 1,369 6.4 43 5

Playoffs

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Year Team Games Rushing Receiving
GP GS Att Yds Avg Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD
1998 ARI 2 2 27 157 5.8 74 0 5 68 13.6 39 1
2 2 27 157 5.8 74 0 5 68 13.6 39 1

Personal life

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His younger brother, Marques Murrell, was a defensive end on the Appalachian State University football team. He signed a contract with the New York Jets on November 7, 2007. His father, a career soldier, was a Command Sergeants Major at the time of his draft. Stationed at Ft. Bragg. Married to Tonia Peck Murrell. They have three children.

References

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  1. ^ "1993 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  2. ^ "Panthers | Murrell Has Short Stay - NFL Hot off the Wire".
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