Murray may be out of reach

Dolphins need franchise-changing QB, only have No. 13 draft pick.

INDIANAPOLIS —Kyler Murray is tired of the pesky baseball questions, concerns about his undersized stature and the constant need to prove his commitment to football.

Murray was peppered with questions about all of those things Friday during his time with media at the NFL combine. He was also asked how he compares to fellow undersized quarterbacks such as Russell Wilson and Baker Mayfield, Murray’s Heisman Trophy-winning predecessor at Oklahoma.

After checking in Thursday at 5-foot-10, 207 pounds, Murray eased doubts about his size, expressed despite his stellar play that earned him the Heisman last season.

Murray may have solidified himself as a top-10 pick in April’s NFL draft, with a significant chance he could be chosen in the top 5. There is even more speculation Murray could be the No. 1 selection.

“Obviously, I’m a competitor — I love the game,” he said. “To be the No. 1 pick, that’s a kid’s dream come true. If my name was called No. 1, I’d be ready to go for sure.”

Murray said he met this week with several coaches from the rebuilding Miami Dolphins, who are eagerly searching for their

first franchise-changing quarterback since Dan Marino. But with the No. 13 pick in the draft, the Dolphins may be well out of the mix for Murray.

He could be selected first overall by the Arizona Cardinals, who would likely have to trade away quarterback Josh Rosen, the No. 10 pick in last year’s draft. Other teams such as the Giants (No. 6) and Jaguars (No. 7) are, like the Dolphins, in need of a new quarterback.

The Dolphins could also miss out on Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who is considered another one of the top available players at the position.

“I’m not worried about Kyler; I’m worried about me,” Haskins said on Friday, regarding his status among the position group. “I know I’m a franchise quarterback, and I’m going to be a really great quarterback in the NFL.”

Murray, Haskins, Missouri’s Drew Lock and Duke’s Daniel Jones are quarterbacks who could be selected in the first round of the draft, which will be held April 25-27 in Nashville, Tenn.

But it is unlikely the Dolphins would use their first-round pick to select a quarterback other than Murray or Haskins, especially in a drafted loaded with defensive line talent, an area of significant need in Miami.

The Dolphins’ stance on sevenyear quarterback Ryan Tannehill remains noncommittal as new coach Brian Flores and general manager Chris Grier continue to say the new coaching staff is evaluating the position.

Miami will likely try to shop Tannehill in a trade with the hope of landing another draft pick this year. If the Dolphins are unsuccessful, Tannehill could be released with a post-June designation that would clear $18.75 million in cap space.

Former Florida and West Virginia quarterback Will Grier could be a second-day pick, headlining the rest of the quarterback group that includes NC State’s Ryan Finley, Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham, Washington State’s Gardner Minshew and North Dakota State’s Easton Stick.

“You have to take it on a case-by-case basis with each player,” Grier said earlier this week about evaluating the quarterback draft class.

“The big thing right now is the intelligence and the leadership stuff, and I think that’s real important because obviously all these guys can throw.”

Despite the Dolphins’ slim chances of landing Murray, he is undoubtedly the most noteworthy player gaining national attention ahead of the draft.

Murray, who turned down a lucrative minor-league contract with the Oakland Athletics to enter the draft, was slightly irritated about questions regarding the career path he plans to pursue.

He was asked about relinquishing the possibility of earning long-term, guaranteed money like Bryce Harper, who just agreed to a 13-year, $330 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies that’s worth roughly $25 million annually.

“Everybody makes a big deal about it because it says $300 million, [but] there’s quarterbacks making more money than him a year,” Murray said, stating a fact true for just seven quarterbacks in the league.

Murray was then asked a trick question of sorts: What would he do if he was not playing football?

He grew agitated, knowing what not to reference: a career in baseball. After sidestepping the question and answering the following questions about another topic, Murray said he would probably be a coach.

“I was born a football player,” he said. “I love this game. There was no turning back when I made this decision. I’m 100 percent in.”

The hardest part of the combine for Murray — measuring up among his peers at the position — is out of the way.

Murray — at 5-10 1⁄8, 207 pounds — is slightly shorter than Wilson (5-10 5⁄8), Drew Brees (6-0 1⁄4) and Mayfield (6-0 5⁄8). He weighs more than Wilson (204) but less than Brees (213) and Mayfield (215) did at their respective combines.

Murray is not participating in football workouts during the combine, a customary move for toptier players at the event.

He will instead perform such drills in front of NFL scouts and executives during Oklahoma’s pro day March 13, with the hope of solidifying himself as the top pick in the draft.

“I think we can put it a lot to rest now,” Murray said regarding his size. “That’s fun.”

“I was born a football player . ... I love this game. There was no turning back when I made this decision. I’m 100 percent in.” — Kyler Murray

SUE OGROCKI/AP After a Heisman Trophy-winning season in 2018 as Oklahoma’s quarterback, Kyler Murray chose to forgo a professional baseball career and prepare for the NFL draft. He is pegged as a top-10 pick, and some experts are saying he could become the No. 1 selection in April’s draft.

CRAIG RUTTLE/AP Kyler Murray holds the Heisman Trophy after winning the award in December. He is at the NFL combine this week but not participating in football workouts.