QB Murray waiting to measure up
Kiper’s mock draft has Heisman winner going to the Dolphins
FORT WORTH, Texas — Now that Kyler Murray has decided to play in the NFL instead of reporting to spring training as a first-round draft pick by baseball’s Oakland Athletics, the questions can shift to the Heisman Trophy winner’s height.
The former Oklahoma star says everyone will get their answer at the NFL combine next week. And that was after Murray listed himself at 5-foot-10 Monday before accepting the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s top college quarterback.
“I’ve been a 5-10 projected in the first (round), I mean, that’s crazy to me, the fact that I’m already projected that high,” Murray said. “I’m not over 6-foot. I haven’t seen that since I’ve been alive.”
The 21-year-old who won three state championships and didn’t lose a game as a high school quarterback in the Dallas area said football became a factor in his decision simply because he finally had a chance to play again.
After signing a minor league contract for a $4.66 million signing bonus as the ninth overall pick in June by Oakland, Murray led Oklahoma to the College Football Playoff in his only season as the starter while posting the second-best passer efficiency rating in Bowl Subdivision history.
Before throwing for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns and running for 1,001 yards and 12 scores, Murray’s only extensive college experience was a rough freshman season at Texas A&M in 2015. After transferring to Oklahoma, he was the backup to 2017 Heisman winner Baker Mayfield, the top pick in last year’s draft.
Murray said he hasn’t decided the specifics of his participation in the NFL combine, but Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley believes his time in the 40-yard dash could be an eye-opener. Murray said it’s been “two, three years” since he ran a 40, at 4.3 seconds. Most of the attention will be on his height, however.
MOCK DRAFT: The NFL Scouting Combine is fast approaching, which means NFL draft season — and mock draft season — is just about in full swing.
On Monday, Mel Kiper Jr. unveiled the 2.0 version of his mock draft for ESPN and he still sees the Miami Dolphins as a likely landing spot for Kyler Murray, David Wilson of the Miami Herald reported. Kiper has the Dolphins, who have the No. 13 overall pick, taking the former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback with their first pick.
This isn’t a new stance for Kiper. The network’s premier draft analyst also had Miami selecting Murray with its first-round pick in the original version of his 2019 mock draft.
Kiper is clearly optimistic for Murray in a draft class without many high-end quarterbacks. At No. 13, Murray is the second quarterback off the board in Kiper’s mock draft behind only Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Dwayne Haskins, whom he pegs to the New York Giants at No. 6. Missouri Tigers quarterback Drew Lock and Duke Blue Devils quarterback Daniel Jones are the only other quarterbacks Kiper has going in the first round in this update of his mock. Kiper projects Lock to the Washington Redskins at No. 15 and Jones to the New England Patriots at No. 32.
JAGUARS: The Jacksonville Jaguars have exercised a $12 million option on Pro Bowl defensive end Calais Campbell for 2019.
The team also picked up options on defensive end and special teams captain Lerentee McCray and backup safety Cody Davis on Monday.
Campbell signed a four-year, $60 million contract with Jacksonville in March 2017. The deal included $30 million guaranteed.
DRUG CHARGE: Prosecutors say Cincinnati Bengals running back Mark Walton is facing a marijuana possession charge in Florida.
Walton was arrested late Friday on an unrelated battery charge after police say he got into an argument with a Miami couple about his SUV blocking a parking garage entrance.
The drug charge came Jan. 16 after police said they smelled marijuana and found drugs in Walton’s SUV during a traffic stop in Miami-Dade County.