North Carolina State University 2019 | Tennessee Titans | Defensive End
"If I got hit, it wouldn't matter because the pad had me covered."
COMMITTED TO THE GAME
Larrell Murchison is the talented and driven Defensive Tackle who was a dominant force on the NC State defensive line during his time with the Wolfpack. After being selected in the 5th round of the 2020 NFL draft by the Tennessee Titans, he is now training for the next chapter of his football career. We caught up with Larrell in the weeks leading up to the draft to reflect on his senior season and the role Protect3d played for him and the rest of his team.
During fall camp prior to the 2019 season Murchison suffered a sternum contusion that made it hard for him to breathe and limited his ability to take hits play after play. After sitting out a few practices, Larrell wore a hand-molded thermoplastic pad that hindered his mobility and did not fit him optimally.
We knew there was a better solution.
After quickly capturing a 3D scan of Larrell’s torso, Protect3d created a custom sternum pad that rested comfortably and precisely on his healthy pectoral muscles with a raised center to distribute load away from the injured sternum. Larrell trusted Protect3d to step in because of the “individuality of the device, it was specialized to me.” He felt that “if I got hit [in the injured area] it wouldn’t matter because the pad had me covered.” The device was worn the rest of the season, but this was not the last time that Protect3d teamed up with Murchison.
Midway through the year, Larrell fractured the index finger in his dominant hand. Being the resilient athlete that he is, Larrell didn’t miss a single practice or game. In fact, in the following game against West Virginia, wearing a Protect3d splint, Larrell had 5 tackles, a TFL, and 2 QB pressures.
Over the following weeks, Protect3d worked closely with NC State’s athletic training staff to create optimal splints for Larrell as the injury began to heal. He finished the season with version three of the splint which provided increased mobility as he got closer to 100%. NC State Athletic Trainer, Kevin Siesel, described the process... “[We] might start with a bulky [device] and work with Protect3d as the athlete heals to progress to something smaller to fit the athlete’s needs at that moment. It’s super cool to pick up the phone and talk to them, and say ‘hey this is what I am thinking,’ and be able to collaborate to get it just right.” This collaboration with the athletic trainers throughout the progression of Larrell’s injury highlights Protect3d’s process at its best.
Another reason Larrell trusted the service is that he saw the impact Protect3d devices had on many of his teammates. He specifically mentioned a fellow lineman who suffered chronic dislocation of his finger joint. This player wore a custom, low-profile finger splint that stabilized his finger to prevent dislocations and left him pain-free for the rest of the season.
Protect3d ended the 2019 season having made 61 custom devices for the NC State football team, for a range of injuries as well as preventative measures. Athletic Trainer, Kevin Siesel, commented that using Protect3d’s devices is a “Huge deal to us as athletic trainers timewise and athletes like it better, it fits better, it’s custom to them. We are not worrying about it once we get it right.”
Larrell believes that “every team needs Protect3d, especially in football where there will always be an enigma injury. [You are] always going to get hit.” That’s why it’s so important to have the highest level of protection and devices made perfectly for you, so you can Compete Without Limits. To Larrell, this means “being aggressive and having no fear when lining up against other guys.”
Catch Larrell Murchison on the Defensive Front of the Tennessee Titans next season.