Former Caveman Jake Murphy, 24, now a University of Utah player, opted to forego his senior season to enter the 2014 NFL draft, taking place this week in Los Angeles. 

Jake Murphy, a 6-foot-4, 252-pound junior, who played in American Fork before wearing red for the Utes is forgoing his senior season to enter the NFL draft. His name wasn’t called in the first round today, but the second and third rounds of the draft will take place Friday, while rounds 4-7 will complete the draft on Saturday in what could be the most important week of the Caveman’s career.

“I want to provide for my family,” he told the Salt Lake Tribune in December, when he made the decision to try out for the NFL. “I have a wife and a 9-month-old daughter, and that changes a lot of perspective on things.”

Known for his big plays, Jake caught 25 passes for 417 yards and five touchdowns in the eight games he played for the Utes last year. His family still lives in American Fork, and some among them are not foreign to professional sports.

His Brother Shawn Murphy once played for the Broncos, and his dad, Dale, was a former major league baseball player, a two-time National League MVP and seven-time all-star.

While a Caveman, Jake led American Fork High School with 44 receptions for 853 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior in 2007. During his junior year, he totaled 30 receptions for 530 yards and eight touchdowns.

Jake has six brothers and a sister. He married the former Arianne Ingersoll after serving a church mission in Sydney, Australia.

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