http://cjonline.com/stories/083007/cat_195667620.shtmlMANHATTAN — It sounds like a cheesy sitcom waiting to happen.
Jordy Nelson is the straight-laced Midwestern kid who grew up surrounded by wheat fields and dirt roads in the tiny town of Riley. Deon Murphy is the aspiring actor, the big-city kid with blazing speed and a passion for hip-hop.
Jason Hunter / The Capital-Journal
Deon Murphy showed his talents off the field at a Kansas State rookie talent contest. Murphy will show off his football talents as a receiver against Auburn on Saturday.
That's not to say Nelson and Murphy don't have a few things in common.
They're both wide receivers. They both play for Kansas State. And if coach Ron Prince sticks to the depth chart, they'll both line up with the first string offense when the Wildcats open their season Saturday at Auburn.
That's where the similarities end, however.
"It's been interesting to see (Murphy) and Jordy Nelson interact," Prince said. "I guess you could call them polar opposites."
K-State fans know all about Nelson, the soft-spoken wideout who led the Wildcats in receptions the last two seasons.
Murphy, meanwhile, joined the team in early August after completing the academic work necessary to transfer from Coffeyville Community College. Even with the late start, the 5-foot-10 speedster worked his way up the depth chart and edged junior Cedric Wilson for K-State's No. 3 receiver spot.
He's also slated to handle punt and kickoff returns.
"He came here in shape, ready to go," Prince said. "He came here to play. I'm excited about that."
Murphy doesn't shy away from the spotlight, whether he's on the football field or behind the microphone. At K-State's rookie talent show, he performed a rap that, by all accounts, brought down the house.
"I had no idea he was such a talented lyricist," Prince said with a grin. "His performance was not G-rated. I don't know what the most restrictive ratings would be, but I wouldn't let my kids listen to it."
Said Murphy: "I got up there and rapped a little bit. That's just what it is. I can't really repeat the whole rap right now …"
Nelson, who admits he's no expert when it comes to hip-hop, wasn't ready to proclaim Murphy the next Snoop Dogg.
"He tried to (rap) the other night," said Nelson, who would have preferred something a little more country. "You'll have to ask somebody else if it was good or not."
The performance received rave reviews from at least one critic — even if that critic happened to be the performer himself.
"I think Deon would say that he was the most talented person by far," Prince said, adding, "I think it'll be hard for any of us to love Deon more than Deon loves Deon."
Taken out of context, Murphy could easily come across as cocky and self-absorbed. But Prince said the junior from Houston knows how to back up his words.
"The thing that surprises me most about Deon Murphy is how tough he is," Prince said. "He's not a big, giant receiver, but he plays bigger than he is."
Murphy said he patterns his game after Dante Hall, the diminutive receiver who found success as a kick returner for the Kansas City Chiefs. Murphy's father, Daryl, coached Hall at Nimitz High in Houston, and Murphy said he's known Hall since he was "an itty-bitty boy."
"I talked to (Hall) maybe a couple of weeks ago," Murphy said. "Everything he tells me just keeps me confident on the field. A lot people don't know that about me."
Confidence is one thing Murphy doesn't lack. And that's a good thing, according to Nelson.
"I think he'll be a big-time player, make some big-time plays for us," Nelson said. "He's going to keep us loose."
While they might not see eye-to-eye on matters of music, Murphy said he and Nelson are comfortable with their own styles.
"I'm going to do what Deon Murphy does, and Jordy Nelson is going to do what Jordy Nelson does," Murphy said. "As far as being teammates, we're going to do real good together."
