NFL Draft: Marcus Murphy's MizzouMade Experience Prepares Him for Pros

MizzouMade is something you’re going to hear a lot now that draft time is almost upon us. Why? Because when you begin to take a look around the NFL and see the success that Gary Pinkel’s players are having, something has to be said to explain it all.

Out of necessity to describe the changing situation, the term ‘MizzouMade’ was born.

It was December 11, 2009. Former DeSoto Eagle Marcus Murphy had just completed his final season of high school football and was about to go on an official visit to Mizzou.

For Murphy, much like many of the other players that take visits to Columbia, he felt right at home. In fact, after one day on campus, he'd seen enough. The following day, he gave his verbal commitment to the school. Since he felt right at home, those on his team quickly became his family.

"Basically [we're] like brothers," Murphy said when asked about his family-oriented experience at Mizzou. "I say it's going from a boy to a man."

During his time with the team, not counting the 2011 season, when he sat out to nurse an offseason injury, Missouri was an impressive 38-15 while making one of the boldest transitions in college football history out of the Big 12 and into the SEC. Murphy got to be a major part of something almost unprecedented in a college football player’s career in winning two division titles in two major conferences.

Murphy's experience isn't unlike what the growing fraternity of NFL players that call themselves 'MizzouMade' say about their time in Columbia. But is it something in the water, or is there a driving force to this family element that is so important to Mizzou's overall team unity?

"First Coach Pinkel," Murphy said. "He's a great guy, he looks out for you, he's loving, he cares about you...anything you need at Mizzou he tries to do it for you." He went on to praise the entire coaching staff.

GaryPinkel.com

"I could name the whole team," he laughed.

Simply "Murph" to his Mizzou teammates, Marcus was close to a lot of his team, but even more so to his roommates while in Columbia. "Me, Darvin Ruise, Darius White and Henry Josey, those guys were my roommates so I spent a lot of time with them. We all just hung out together. It was fun."

Coach Pinkel has molded a solid system from the tutelage of former Washington coach Don James. It's easy to see that what Pinkel has done has worked well, but when you talk to the players, you begin to get an idea of what that system is all about.

"Respect. Just treating everybody the same," Murphy said of what you learn from coach Pinkel. "You have to respect everyone in order to get respect...that's the first thing. The second thing is accountability. You have to be accountable for your own actions because it affects your family members."

This is what has Pinkel's players so far ahead of the curve on the social aspect of meshing with guys in an NFL locker room. Mizzou's players don't just come up with the skill, but they all come up with a winning attitude as well.

Follow Dan Irwin on Twitter @irwinsports or on Facebook.

All quotes from this article were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.