In the immediate aftermath of Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray winning the Heisman Trophy, an informal survey of NFL decision-makers resulted in a loose consensus that it will be impossible to determine Murray’s draft prospects until he fully commits to football — including full submission to the oftentimes nonsensical grind of the pre-draft process over spring training. One G.M. said he hadn’t even studied Murray’s film, given the then-prevailing belief (as fueled by his baseball agent) that Murray would choose the hide of a horse over the skin of a pig.
Now that the momentum seems to be moving Murray told football, that same G.M. has taken a close look at Murray. And that G.M., who needs to remain anonymous for obvious reasons, has pegged Murray as a first-round pick, lack of height notwithstanding.
With the Oakland A’s not expecting to be on the wrong end of the letters F and U from Murray, the time is quickly coming for Murray to take the first formal step toward choosing football: By next Tuesday, he needs to file paperwork for early entry to the NFL draft.
If that happens, get ready for Murray to crash the first-round party in late April.