FanSided 2014 NFL Draft Interview: Georgia QB Aaron Murray talks knee health, playing for hometown Buccaneers

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray had one of the most successful careers under center, not just in the SEC, but in all of college football history. Prior to the 2010 college football season when head coach Mark Richt named him–then a freshman–the starter, no one could see what was about to come.

Four years later, Murray leaves the college football game after starting all 52 games in which he had dressed as the SEC’s all-time leading passer with 13,166 yards and the conference’s career leader in touchdowns thrown with 121.

You probably won’t find a more experienced player in this year’s NFL Draft, and Murray talked with us a bit about that playing experience and more in a brief sit-down.

Jack Jorgensen: Aaron, first off, congratulations on one of the more successful careers in the history of college football. As you get ready for the NFL Draft, you’re participating in the Gillette Deodorant Pressure Points web series along with Eric Ebron and Jadeveon Clowney. Tell me a little more about that, please.

Aaron Murray: The Pressure Points web series is an exciting project that gives the fans the chance to see how we transition from the life of college football to getting ready for the next step in our careers, the National Football League. You get a chance to see what goes on in that dead period. You see us prepare for the Senior Bowl, the Scouting Combine and the actual NFL Draft itself.

JJ: Going back to that illustrious collegiate career that we mentioned before, of those four years and 52 starts, is there one moment that you would consider your favorite?

AM: Definitely the LSU game from 2013. It was a huge win for the program with the last-second touchdown we were able to pull off, and it was just a great experience getting that win at home. We had such a great interaction with the fans after the game following such a tremendous win.

JJ: Going into this Draft, at the quarterback position, a lot of the buzz is surrounding Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater and Blake Bortles. Why, in your mind, should you be chosen over them?

AM: Skill wise, I match up with all of those guys. I can make all of the NFL throws that need to be made, I have the arm strength, I can put in all the necessary work in the film room to succeed at the next level. I have all of the experience to win, having played all four years while I was in college. 

JJ: While just being selected in the NFL Draft is an honor in itself, deep down is there any particular team that you’d be just a little bit happier to hear call your name on Draft day?

AM: Absolutely, I’d be happy to just be chosen by any organization, but growing up in Tampa, it’d be special to go back home and play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I grew up going to Bucs games and it’d be a great experience to get to play my professional football there.

JJ: After 2012 where you nearly won the SEC Championship, there were a lot of expectations coming into 2013, which unfortunately you guys couldn’t live up to in the end. Is there anything that you’d change about the 2013 campaign if you could?

AM: No, it wasn’t anything near what we were expecting, but it was a fun year, that’s for sure. There was never not an exciting moment. Pretty much every game we were in was close and it was a great time.

JJ: Final question, and it’s a pretty obvious one, how’s the knee that you injured at the end of the season against Kentucky?

AM: Right now, I’m at about 80%. I can do all the running I need to, I can do all my drops, I can move side-to-side. I’m definitely at about 80-85% at the moment and I should be around 95-100 by the time my Pro Day rolls around on April 16.