FAIRHOPE, Ala. (AP) — Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray is hoping to benefit from the Senior Bowl, even if he doesn't throw a pass.
Murray is observing practices alongside the healthy passers, attending position meetings and visiting with NFL teams. He can't play or practice while recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee sustained against Kentucky on Nov. 23.
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"Obviously I wish I could participate in practice but it's still great to be in the meetings, hang out with the coaches, hang out with some of these guys and just have some fun," Murray said. After his first practice Monday and meetings with NFL teams on Sunday, he feels that coming to south Alabama "was a great decision."
Murray scored one triumph of sorts when he measured out at 6-foot, three-eighths of an inch in Monday's weigh-in. That places him a tad shorter than Clemson's Tajh Boyd but over the symbolic 6-foot mark.
He quickly let Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo know, "because he always said I'm 5-10, 5-11."
"I texted him and said, 'Hey, I'm not 5-10, 5-11. I'm 6-foot, three-eighths. Take that,'" Murray said, smiling.
Murray knows the height question still isn't going away leading up to the draft, even with the success of similarly-sized Drew Brees of the Saints and Seattle's Russell Wilson, who has led the Seahawks to the Super Bowl.
"Obviously I know it's going to be asked about a lot," Murray said. "I've been lucky that there's a lot of quarterbacks right now in the NFL that are 5-10, 5-11, 6-foot. I mean, the quarterback in the Super Bowl right now is what, 5-10, 5-11. And he's had two tremendous years. Those guys are really helping me out a lot.
"I mean, I don't care. People are going to say it. You've just got to go out there and prove them wrong."
Murray remains confident that he'll at least be close to 100 percent in time for Georgia's pro day in April.
Murray has been going through rehabilitation with Dr. James Andrews and working out at the Athletes' Performance Institute in Gulf Breeze, Fla., along with South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
Murray gave NFL executives plenty of college film to study even if he's not throwing at the Senior Bowl.
Murray captured most of the Southeastern Conference's major passing records in four years as Georgia's quarterback and started all 52 games before his injury.
"I've played with some huge offensive lines," he said. "I played in the SEC and those guys are pretty big and I don't have any trouble seeing over them or seeing around them. I have no problems at all."
