Kyler Murray reaffirmed his football career will end after this season at Oklahoma, but think about how much fun it would be to see his dual-threat skills on display in the NFL.
Oklahoma’s Heisman candidate quarterback will be one-and-done after confirming his plans to pursue his MLB career after this season.
Murray was the No. 9 selection in the last MLB Draft and will report to the Oakland A’s following the end of the Sooners season, which could end with a berth in the College Football Playoff. Murray was fortunate enough to pause his baseball career this spring when the A’s allowed him to play one final season at Oklahoma, the first he was eligible for, after transferring from Texas A&M two years ago.
But there will be no hope of Murray returning for one more year in Lincoln Riley’s high-powered offense, and there will be no hope of Murray continuing his two-sport double feature in the NFL.
Murray confirmed his plans are to bypass the NFL, even though he thinks he could play in the NFL and will turn his focus to his baseball career.
"“I feel like I could play in the NFL, but as of now playing Major League Baseball is the plan.”"
Murray will play centerfield in the A’s minor league system. He projects as a speedy top-of-the-order type hitter if he is able to read pitches, make enough contact and limit his strikeouts. His speed alone, which has been clear to see on the football field, makes him a candidate to steal 30 bases on an annual basis.
The 5-10, 195-pound Murray will have a much safer future playing on the diamond vs. the gridiron, and he stands to make much more money in MLB vs. the NFL where there are no guaranteed contracts.
Murray has been a terror for opposing defenses to stop as he has 37 passing and 11 rushing touchdowns and should top 4,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing. His 206.77 passer rating is higher than his former teammate and last year’s No. 1 pick, Baker Mayfield, and only trails Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa this year.
Dane Brugler, NFL Draft analyst for The Athletic thinks Murray is making the right decision but can’t help but dream about how his dual-threat skills would translate to the next level.
"“I think Kyler Murray is making the right decision, but it would have been fun to see his electric skill-set in the NFL.”"
NFL Network Draft analyst Bucky Brooks thinks Murray’s height will be a concern, but his combination of arm talent and explosiveness coupled with Mayfield’s early success in the NFL had Murray as a first round consideration.
.@TheKylerMurray evaluation is going to be fascinating to watch. He won’t meet the QB height requirement for some teams but his combination of arm talent & explosiveness could make him problem at #NFL level. With Mayfield going No.1 overall, you can’t rule out KM as a 1st-Rder
— Bucky Brooks (@BuckyBrooks) November 24, 2018
His style of play has been likened to Russell Wilson who had a brief minor league baseball career before turning his attention to football after transferring from NC State to Wisconsin.
There is no denying how electric and dominant Murray is at the college level and it would have been so much fun to watch him play on Sundays to see if he could bring the same flair and play-making ability to the NFL game. However, this will just have to be one of the bigger what if questions of the decade because it will live in our imagination.
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