Oklahoma QB and Heisman winner Kyler Murray is now expected to enter the NFL draft and is leaning towards a football career despite a report last month indicating that he would follow through on his baseball commitment after being selected by MLB’s Oakland A’s with the No. 9 overall pick in last year’s draft. However, the A’s are not going down without a fight.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets that Athletics GM Billy Beane and other members of the team’s front office are meeting with Murray today in an effort to convince him to stick with baseball (the deadline for Murray’s application for entry into the NFL draft is tomorrow). As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, the A’s don’t necessarily need a firm decision from Murray today. All they need is for Murray to not slam the door on baseball, because until he does, there’s a good chance that no NFL team will spend a first-round pick on him. And if Murray is not going to be a first-round choice, he may be inclined to stay with baseball.
Much of that has to do with simple math. The A’s gave Murray a $4.66MM signing bonus, which he would be required to pay back if he chooses to play football, and as ESPN’s Chris Mortensen observes, the last pick in the first round of the 2018 draft (Lamar Jackson) got a $4.97MM signing bonus (Twitter link).
Mortensen reports that Murray is still expected to apply for the NFL draft, regardless of how convincing Beane’s pitch is, though he will have 72 hours to change his mind.
He’ll get picked in the 1st round for sure…probably a top 15 pick. No way Jags or Dolphins pass on him
Dolphins have already said their plan is to wait for tua
No chance an NFL team came out and said they are wating for a guy in a draft, let alone one thats NEXT YEAR
Yeah they said they’re waiting for 2020 draft…but if Kyler Murray is sitting there at #13 how could they pass him up?
5’9 QB. In the top 15 picks??
Can you say Doug Flutie
I’d wait for Tua or Herbert
Fromm is the best QB available next year.
Oh….the height arguments….again. Thought we put those to sleep with Baker. You guys realize his line at OU avg 6’5 right? Didn’t seem to be an issue there. Baker only ended up being the best QB in the draft by far.
If he struggles in the nfl, it won’t be because of his height.
You’re my favorite person on here, no matter how many draft experts say Murray is great all people talk about is is height… his height didn’t stop him from winning the Heisman and it’s not gonna stop him from being a great NFL Qb.
Thought I was your Fav up here!
That was before he learned you were straight….lol.
Dam right
The Jags are the only team that would let him start next year, maybe the Giants if they let Ely fade into nothingness. He’s basically going to be a $5MM clipboard holder.
In Miami he could moonlight as a pet detective and augment his clipboard holding salary.