Kyler Murray made the decision earlier this month to enter the NFL Draft, but that does not necessarily mean he has committed to playing football over baseball.
Murray sat down for an interview with NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano at the Super Bowl on Thursday, and he refused to give a direct response when asked if he plans to play football or report to the Oakland A’s. As Ian Rapoport later noted, that is because Murray truly has not made up his mind.
From Super Bowl Live: #Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray wouldn’t say whether he’s chosen baseball or football. There is a good reason why. pic.twitter.com/NxKkNPKB85
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 31, 2019
Declaring for the draft was an obvious choice for Murray. While no team is going to take him early if he doesn’t commit to football by April, the former Oklahoma star can now get an idea of how scouts feel about him and where he might be drafted. He can also potentially use his interest in playing in the NFL as leverage to get the A’s to pay him more than the $4.7 million signing bonus he got after being drafted by them in the first round.
While reports have already indicated Murray is serious about playing football, it’s clear he does not want to close the door on baseball. We’d be shocked if an NFL team didn’t draft him in the first round, but some scouts are not all that high on Murray. Perhaps that is playing a role in his indecisiveness.
