Kyler Murray has taken a step towards playing in the NFL over MLB by declaring for the former’s draft this April.
Murray, a two-sport star at the University of Oklahoma, was selected by the Oakland Athletics with the ninth overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft and given a $4.66million signing bonus, which he will have to give back most of if he goes to the NFL.
However, after another stellar season with Oklahoma in which he led them to the College Football Playoff semi-finals and won the coveted Heisman Trophy, talk of him eschewing MLB for the NFL has grown.
And he announced his intention to enter the draft on Twitter on Monday.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Murray declares for the draft without violating the terms of his contract with the Athletics, which allows him to keep his options open until February, when he will likely have to make a definitive decision about which sport he would prefer to play professionally.
I have declared for the NFL Draft.
— Kyler Murray (@TheKylerMurray) January 14, 2019
The Athletics begin spring training on February 15, which is just 11 days before NFL draft prospects head to the Scouting Combine.
With Murray at quarterback Oklahoma went 12-1 in the regular season, winning the Big 12 conference title before losing to Alabama in the playoff semi-finals.
The dual-threat quarterback threw for 4,361 yards, 42 touchdowns and seven interceptions while adding 1,001 yards and 12 scores on the ground.
In college baseball he batted at an average of .296 with 10 home runs, 47 RBIs and 10 stolen bases as an outfielder in 2018.
