Myles Murphy releases heartfelt statement after declaring for NFL draft

by Tony Crumpton - Assoc. Editor - Tue Dec 13 16:20:25 GMT-04:00 2022

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney announced on Tuesday that junior defensive end Myles Murphy was opting out of the Orange Bowl to prepare for the NFL draft.

"Myles Murphy is going pro," Swinney said. "He is the only one not here. He is going to turn pro. I am excited for his opportunity and he will be a great pro on and off the field."

Murphy confirmed the news by releasing a heartfelt statement on Tuesday afternoon thanking his coaches, fans, and teammates during his time at Clemson.

Before I begin, I just want to thank God for the blessings he has bestowed upon me and my family. Without Him, I am nothing.

I want to start by thanking my coaches, both past and present, for helping me shape me both into the man and player I am today. Your constant love and support has meant everything to me. To Coach Swinney: Thank you for bringing me into your program and making me feel at home. Coach Goodwin, Coach Hall and the entire staff: you believed in me from Day 1 and you all will forever hold a special place in my heart. Clemson football is the best of hands moving forward with you at the helm.

To the fans: You took a kid from Marietta, Georgia and made him your own. There is nothing like gameday in Clemson.

We have the best fans in the world. Wherever the future takes me, I'm better for it by having played in front of you all. I'm forever grateful to be a Tiger. You are the backbone of this program, and I am going to miss you all.

To my brothers in the locker room: We came in as teammates and left as family. I can't even begin to tell you how much you all mean to me. Going to battle with you every Saturday has been the biggest honor of my entire life. I can't thank you enough for the memories and putting it all on the line for me each and every Saturday and am so thankful Clemson brought us together.

Lastly, to my family: I love you all so much. You are my rock, my heart and my soul. I am forever indebted to you for the sacrifices you have made for me, and I love you with every fiber of my being. Everything I do, I do for you.

With that being said, after much thought and prayer, I am officially announcing that I will be declaring for the 2023 NFL draft. It has been my dream for as long as I could remember to play in the NFL, and I believe it's the right time to take that next step.

I will always and forever be a Clemson Tiger.

-- Myles Murphy