By Michael Kinney
Baker Mayfield created the blueprint last season when he won the Heisman and became the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. Along the way, he won a conference title and led the Sooners to the College Football Playoffs.
Kyler Murray has seemingly studied the path that Mayfield blazed and is trying to accomplish the same goals, including being the top pick in this season’s NFL draft.
So, it should not have been a surprise that Murray would show up at the Oklahoma-Texas basketball game to hoist up his Heisman trophy Saturday in front of the Sooner fans. It was the same move Mayfield did last year.
It was also the first time Murray was able to speak to local media since declaring he was passing on Major League Baseball and taking his talents to the NFL.
“For me, it was something I’ve known for a while. That organization, being with the A’s, was the best possible situation for me just because they were so great throughout the football season, kind of leaving me alone and letting me do my own thing,” Murray said. “And at the same time letting me know how much I meant to them and that type of stuff. Telling them was tough.”
Murray said he pretty much knew what he wanted to do the night Oakland drafted him on the first round of the MLB draft. But at the time he didn’t know if the NFL wanted him.
Then the 2018 season happened and everything changed.
“The night I got drafted to the A’s — obviously it was a great day of my life — but I’ve been a football player my whole life,” Murray said. “I didn’t know how the NFL felt about me before this season because I hadn’t played. Going into this [football] season, [the goal] was to put myself in the best position possible. Obviously, when you win, good things happen. A lot of good stuff happened this year.”
While it may have been tough for Murray at first to inform the As he wasn’t going to play for them, he wanted to reiterate that he is football is his future and if the As are holding out hope he will make his way to professional baseball at some point this year, they may be waiting a long time.
“I mean, they can hold out all the hope they want to,” Murray said. “I’m going to play football.”
As part of preparing for the NFL draft, Murray is currently preparing for the NFL Combines Feb. 26- March 4. Murray said he will be attending, but said he doesn’t know what activities he will take part in.
But without a doubt, the things most scouts will be focusing on is when he has his height measured. He has been listed anywhere from 5-8 to 5-11.
Since no quarterback has ever been drafted in the first round under 5-foot-10, Murray’s height will be the center of attention.
“That’s just who I am,” Murray said. “I am how tall that I am. I do enjoy being one of the smaller quarterbacks around the country. I always look to prove people wrong.”
Michael Kinney is a Freelance Content Provider