Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray is going to play professional baseball. He has nearly 5 million reasons to do so, after the Oakland Athletics took him No. 9 overall in the MLB draft in June. "Kyler's baseball career has a very defined path, which includes playing football at OU for only the 2018 season," agent Scott Boras said in August.
But what if Murray weren't committed to baseball in 2019 and beyond? What if he decided to give football a shot long-term? We asked ESPN NFL draft experts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay to evaluate Murray, a fourth-year junior for the Sooners, as a football prospect.
Jump below the Murray section for Kiper and McShay's picks for under-the-radar prospects to keep an eye on, the College Football Playoff and MVP.
Murray's NFL potential
Kiper: Murray is one of the best dual-threat college quarterbacks I've ever seen. He just has rare athleticism, and there's a reason he was once one of the most sought-after recruits in the country. But Murray is so much more than a runner. He goes through progressions as a passer, he has a quick release, and the ball jumps out of his hand.
McShay: The arm talent has surpassed my expectations, no question. Murray is just naturally gifted with touch and ball placement. The numbers so far are incredible: 21 total touchdowns and just two picks in five games. He leads FBS in yards per attempt (13.4), and the Sooners rank first in yards per play (8.9).
Kiper: Size is the obvious question for his NFL future. Oklahoma lists him at 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, which is 3 inches shorter and 20 pounds lighter than Baker Mayfield, whom he backed up in 2017. There just hasn't been any recent pro success for quarterbacks under 6 feet, other than Russell Wilson.
McShay: And Wilson has a totally different body type than Murray. He's stronger and thicker, though Murray is the better overall athlete. Could Murray hold up physically as an NFL quarterback? We also had a 50-start college sample for Wilson. Murray has started only eight games so far, including three at Texas A&M in 2015. He is raw.
Kiper: The closest comp, physically, is Doug Flutie, who was 5-foot-9, 175 pounds coming out of Boston College in 1985. Murray is the superior athlete, but Flutie had a long pro career as an undersized signal-caller. He's really the only one who has come close.
McShay: Let's not forget that if Murray were serious about football, he has another year of eligibility to use. I'd love to see him get more starts in 2019 under coach Lincoln Riley, one of college football's brightest offensive minds. There are few coaches better than Riley at scheming open pass-catchers. He'll make Murray better.
Kiper: Totally agree. Right now, with a limited sample, I'd put Murray in the third-round range as a draft prospect. Maybe a creative team could take him earlier on Day 2 and use him situationally in his first season, like the Ravens are doing with Lamar Jackson. What do you think, Todd?
McShay: Again, just eight career starts. But my best early guess is there's no way this type of natural talent would get out of Round 2.
Drew Henson, Brandon Weeden and Chris Weinke. Keep in mind that Murray's $4.66 million signing bonus from Oakland is a lot of money. For reference, Raiders offensive tackle Brandon Parker, the first pick of the third round in April's draft, got $1,058,424 guaranteed in his deal.
But what if Murray weren't committed to baseball in 2019 and beyond? What if he decided to give football a shot long-term? We asked ESPN NFL draft experts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay to evaluate Murray, a fourth-year junior for the Sooners, as a football prospect.
Jump below the Murray section for Kiper and McShay's picks for under-the-radar prospects to keep an eye on, the College Football Playoff and MVP.
Murray's NFL potential
Kiper: Murray is one of the best dual-threat college quarterbacks I've ever seen. He just has rare athleticism, and there's a reason he was once one of the most sought-after recruits in the country. But Murray is so much more than a runner. He goes through progressions as a passer, he has a quick release, and the ball jumps out of his hand.
McShay: The arm talent has surpassed my expectations, no question. Murray is just naturally gifted with touch and ball placement. The numbers so far are incredible: 21 total touchdowns and just two picks in five games. He leads FBS in yards per attempt (13.4), and the Sooners rank first in yards per play (8.9).
Kiper: Size is the obvious question for his NFL future. Oklahoma lists him at 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, which is 3 inches shorter and 20 pounds lighter than Baker Mayfield, whom he backed up in 2017. There just hasn't been any recent pro success for quarterbacks under 6 feet, other than Russell Wilson.
McShay: And Wilson has a totally different body type than Murray. He's stronger and thicker, though Murray is the better overall athlete. Could Murray hold up physically as an NFL quarterback? We also had a 50-start college sample for Wilson. Murray has started only eight games so far, including three at Texas A&M in 2015. He is raw.
Kiper: The closest comp, physically, is Doug Flutie, who was 5-foot-9, 175 pounds coming out of Boston College in 1985. Murray is the superior athlete, but Flutie had a long pro career as an undersized signal-caller. He's really the only one who has come close.
McShay: Let's not forget that if Murray were serious about football, he has another year of eligibility to use. I'd love to see him get more starts in 2019 under coach Lincoln Riley, one of college football's brightest offensive minds. There are few coaches better than Riley at scheming open pass-catchers. He'll make Murray better.
Kiper: Totally agree. Right now, with a limited sample, I'd put Murray in the third-round range as a draft prospect. Maybe a creative team could take him earlier on Day 2 and use him situationally in his first season, like the Ravens are doing with Lamar Jackson. What do you think, Todd?
McShay: Again, just eight career starts. But my best early guess is there's no way this type of natural talent would get out of Round 2.
Drew Henson, Brandon Weeden and Chris Weinke. Keep in mind that Murray's $4.66 million signing bonus from Oakland is a lot of money. For reference, Raiders offensive tackle Brandon Parker, the first pick of the third round in April's draft, got $1,058,424 guaranteed in his deal.
