We might not find out in the first round tonight, but there is a chance Kyler Murray could choose baseball over football when selected.
Many feel Murray was the best athlete in the 2015 Draft, but he opted out and decided to play two sports at Texas A&M. No one could blame him, because he was the nation’s top-rated dual-threat quarterback prospect at the time. Three years later he is now an Oklahoma Sooner and is draft-eligible again. And once again he has a tough decision to make. Murray is poised to be the successor to Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield this upcoming season. With many scouts thinking it would be impossible for him to commit to baseball and now that he is set up for potential greatness at Oklahoma, this this should be a no-brainer decision right?
Wrong.
Last night, word started on Twitter then gained traction that for the right price Murray would agree to commit to baseball after playing football this fall for the Sooners. Jim Callis of MLB Network has recently reported that if this is true he could command a bonus of $3 million or possibly more.
So, who is looking at Murray? Right now it seems there are two teams that are legitimately interested in the Oklahoma product. The Reds (pick nos. 5 and nos. 48) and the Padres (pick Nos. 7 and 38) might look to get a first round deal so they can save enough to splurge on Murray with their second choice. It should be noted that contacts close with Cincinnati and San Diego have denied this. But it’s draft night. Anything can happen.
Murray and the Sooners lost to Mississippi State today in the Tallahassee Regional in first round of the NCAA D1 playoffs, effectively ending their season. It was a tough start to the year for Murray, who struggled at the plate some. Though he’s juggling two sports and has sacrificed playing time while doing so, Murray has made great adjustments at the plate. He is a true contact hitter with decent bat speed that can produce average power. His best tool is his base stealing speed, which is plus-plus.
Could he pull a Bo Jackson if he gets drafted in the first round? Maybe. After all Murray has the blood for it. He’s the son of former Texas A&M quarterback and Brewers farmhand Kevin Murray and the nephew of two-time first-rounder and five-year big leaguer Calvin Murray.
