Noted two-sport star Kyler Murray is still prepared to chase his dream of becoming a Major League Baseball player, agent Scott Boras told reporters last week. Murray, Oklahoma’s decorated quarterback, was awarded the 2018 Heisman Trophy after racking up 2,167 total points and 40 touchdowns and throwing for 4,053 yards over his most recent season with the Sooners. But a career in pro football doesn’t appear to be in the 21-year-old’s future — at least, not anytime soon.
“Kyler has agreed and the A’s agreed to a baseball contract that gave him permission to play college football through the end of the collegiate season,” Boras told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. “After that, he is under contract to play baseball. That is not a determination to make. It’s already done.”
While Murray’s days as a collegiate quarterback and Sooners star are numbered, his time with the Athletics is just beginning. The five-foot, one-inch athlete packs a punch at the plate and will likely stick in center field, where MLB Pipeline estimates his arm is currently “below average.” His speed will not only be a boon in the outfield, however, but also make him a force to be reckoned with on the basepaths, as he nabbed 10 bases (in 24 chances) while slashing .296/.398/.556 over 189 at-bats for Oklahoma in 2018.
Although Murray mentioned his desire to someday play both professional baseball and football, Rapoport notes that NFL scouts have been more hesitant to project the kid as a pro starter (or high draft pick) because of his small frame. That seemingly had no bearing on Murray’s future with the A’s, who selected him in the first round of the 2018 draft, paid out a $4.66 million signing bonus, and currently have him ranked fourth overall in their farm system.
