Should A’s worry Murray will choose football?
Oklahoma’s star quarterback Kyle Murray reiterated his plan is to leave football behind after this season and focus on playing baseball for the A’s.
But should the A’s, who signed Murray for nearly $5 million, be worried he’ll change his mind?
Murray, who has become a leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy during his spectacular season for Oklahoma, didn’t exactly squash speculation Monday.
“I feel like I can play in the NFL,” Murray told reporters in Oklahoma. “But as far as giving (football) up, as of now, yeah that’s the plan.”
Does including the qualifier “as of now” sound like a man convinced he’ll never play football again after this season?
After Murray spoke, Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley didn’t say anything that would provide any comfort to the A’s, who chose Murray with the ninth overall pick in the MLB draft in June.
“It’ll be an interesting question, what he and his family decide to do,” Riley said. “There’s different dynamics with it. If he plays QB if he chooses the football route, different from Bo (Jackson), Deion (Sanders). But he’s so athletically gifted in transitioning between the two (sports).”
Another earlier report indicated Murray’s decision hasn’t been made just yet.
When the A’s and Murray agreed to the unprecedented deal permitting him to play one more football season at Oklahoma before dedicating himself to baseball full-time, could either side have imagined he’d be this good?
Murray has arguably been better than last year’s Oklahoma quarterback, Baker Mayfield. All Mayfield did was win the Heisman Trophy on his way to becoming the top pick in the NFL draft.
Mayfield set a Football Bowl Subdivision (former Div. 1-A) record a year ago with a 198.92 efficiency rating. With a Big 12 Championship game and possible College Football Playoff games remaining, Murray’s efficiency rating sits at a whopping 206.8.
Murray has put up staggering numbers: He’s second in the nation in total offense (377
yards per game) and touchdown passes (37) as well as leading all quarterbacks with 7.55 yards per carry.
NFL talent evaluators like a lot of things about the speedy Murray, except his size (listed at 5-foot-11). But ESPN’s Todd McShay thinks Murray would be drafted no later than the second round if he entered the NFL draft.
However, power agent Scott Boras, who represents Murray, insists his client is headed to the A’s. End of story.
“Any judgments made as to him executing his contractual commitments, understand who Kyler is,” Boras told The Oklahoman. “He’s committed to his team at OU, and he’s also committed to the Oakland A’s.”
To which we add, “as of now.”