Kyler Murray will not be reporting to the Oakland A’s when position players are scheduled to arrive at training camp later this week, as the former Oklahoma star announced on Monday that he is fully committed to pursuing a career in the NFL.
In a statement he released on Twitter, Murray said he is “firmly and fully committing my life and time to becoming an NFL quarterback.”
— Kyler Murray (@TheKylerMurray) February 11, 2019
Murray is reportedly planning to attend the NFL Scouting Combine later this month, so his decision is not a surprise. While filing paperwork to enter the NFL Draft did not necessarily mean he had to shut the door on playing baseball, no NFL team was going to use a first-high draft pick on him without a commitment to football. Murray has now given that commitment.
Some talent evaluators reportedly feel that Murray is a second- or third-round pick based on his physical makeup, but the opinion of scouts may not be aligned with that of NFL team executives. If he’s drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft, Murray should make about the same guaranteed money he would have gotten from the A’s. He could also have a quicker path to earning huge money if he proves he can be a viable starting quarterback.
