Kyler Murray's decision: what would you do?

[AGuinness]

This is an interesting choice this young man is facing, whether to declare for the NFL and pursue a career there, stick with the MLB after being drafted by the A's, or even return to college.

With all the injuries in football and looking at living with the potential consequences after a career ends, I'd start an MLB career (knowing I could return to college and finish the degree later, if I wanted).

[AGuinness]

Oops, meant to include a link to the Yahoo story...

https://sports.yahoo.com/making-case...232507836.html

[packs]

Nobody was really talking about him being a first round talent for the NFL until the past week or two. He's listed at 5'10 and you can assume that's generous. Not a lot of room for error at that height and I can't see a team taking him in the first round. If he doesn't get drafted in the first round there's no way he'll be guaranteed equal or more than the 4 mil he's already guaranteed to play baseball. If he decides to give the NFL a shot and flames out, he won't be drafted that high again in MLB either.

If I'm him, take the 4 mil, try baseball. If and when baseball doesn't work out, try the NFL at that point like Drew Henson did.

[AGuinness]

Originally Posted by packs

Nobody was really talking about him being a first round talent for the NFL until the past week or two. He's listed at 5'10 and you can assume that's generous. Not a lot of room for error at that height and I can't see a team taking him in the first round. If he doesn't get drafted in the first round there's no way he'll be guaranteed equal or more than the 4 mil he's already guaranteed to play baseball. If he decides to give the NFL a shot and flames out, he won't be drafted that high again in MLB either.

If I'm him, take the 4 mil, try baseball. If and when baseball doesn't work out, try the NFL at that point like Drew Henson did.

A's would retain his draft rights, like what happened with Russell Wilson, if Murray opts for the NFL.

[packs]

Ah, I didn't think of that. If he jumps to the NFL though I believe the A's will not receive a compensation pick because he did sign with them. Getting nothing out of the 9th overall pick would really hurt.

[rats60]

Murray is already ~ 1000 at bats behind where he should be for a baseball player his age. If he can get a 1st round guarantee, he should declare for the NFL Draft. As pointed out in the story, a last pick of the 1st round got 12.5 million guaranteed for 4 years. The higher he goes, it goes up from there.

He isn't going to come close to that in baseball. If he doesn't make the majors (and how many years is it going to take him to rise through the minors?), he won't make that in his career. After he goes through the minors, he is going to get paid whatever the teams wants for 3 years, then he becomes eligible for arbitration. Then another 3 years before he can hit free agency and really come out ahead, ~ 10 years down the road.

He is already 21 1/2 years old, starting at the beginning of the minors. He missed a season and a half of college baseball. By the time he makes the majors, he is going to be an "old" rookie. I think it would be different if he had played his full 3 years of college baseball and was ready to start up the minor league chain and get to the majors quickly. It boils down to what he can get up front. If he can triple what the A's are offering him by just getting drafted, he should take the guaranteed NFL money.

[packs]

That kind of ignores that he is considered to be such a talented baseball player that he was still picked 9th. I don't think you can discount that. He's guaranteed no less than 4.6 million to play baseball. The likelihood of him being a first round pick, despite the media hype, seems a little far fetched to me. Charlie Ward was considerably taller and he didn't get drafted at all while having the same two-sport concerns.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Why risk your brain any further? Baseball.

[Neal]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Why risk your brain any further? Baseball.

agreed

[KCRfan1]

Shame on the A's for drafting him in the first place.

They had to have known there was a possibility Murray would test the NFL especially as a QB at a major university. Granted Murray wasn't a starting QB when the A's drafted him, but at 20 years old and a dual sport player he's not really devoting the attention needed to either sport to help him be successful.

That said, some in the baseball circle recognized Murray as a potential Heisman candidate based on his talent level. Thus far, Murray has likely gotten by on talent alone without having to commit maximum time to baseball or football.

Now Murray will have to change positions to play in the NFL as no-one is in the market for a 5'10 or '11 foot QB.

A jack of all traits, master of none.

The A's are usually very smart about their choices, but they really blew this one and may lose the pick all together as there is no compensation for Murray going to the NFL.

Personally, I don't see the kid doing anything in either sport successfully at a professional level.

[rats60]

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/2...stick-baseball

It looks like Kyler will play baseball if he can get the A's to match what he can get from the NFL.

[KCRfan1]

What do you make of this rats?

It looks like Murray knows that football is not his best option. If I'm the A's I'm telling Murray that we've already written you a check last year that you accepted.

[rats60]

I think it makes perfect sense. Kyler can get ~ 15 million playing FB. Why shouldn't he get the same playing baseball? He signed a minor league contract last year based on his value last year. Now he is looking for a major league contract based on his play since. The unique situation is that play was in a different sport. If he had a huge year in baseball, no one would question him getting a new contract. I think Kyler wants to play baseball and the A's want him, so now they just need to agree on the dollars.

[packs]

In the history of quarterbacks, when was a 5 foot 9 guy talked about so highly? Even Drew Brees was picked in the 2nd round. I feel this guy is getting some bad advice and letting himself be hyped up by the media. People are saying the Giants might take him 6th. There's no way.

[chalupacollects]

Take the MLB money now and finish college later...

[D. Bergin]

If I'm this kids dad, I lean him towards baseball for his general health and let his agent use whatever leverage he has to get the best deal he can get.