© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Kyler Murray, the first-round Major League Baseball draft pick and Heisman Trophy-winning Oklahoma quarterback, says he is declaring himself eligible for the NFL draft.
Murray announced his decision Monday in a tweet.
The Oakland Athletics made the speedy outfielder the ninth overall selection last June, signed him and gave him a $4.66 million signing bonus. The A’s agreed to let him continue playing football, and he made the most of it by winning the Heisman in his only season as a starter for the Sooners. He passed for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns and ran for 1,001 yards and another 12 scores this past season. He posted the second-best passer efficiency rating in FBS history.
The surprise as the season developed was Murray’s rising stock for the NFL draft. Representatives of the A’s and Major League Baseball met Sunday with Murray. The possibility existed that the A’s could offer more money by putting him on the 40-man major league roster.
Even with the A’s efforts, Murray would have a shot at a bigger payday sooner in football and he wouldn’t have to go to the minor leagues.