Last fall, it seemed obvious that Kyler Murray would end up playing professional baseball.
Oakland A's had chosen the Oklahoma player with the ninth pick in the 2018 draft and signed him for a contract worth nearly $ 5 million.
A stipulation of the contract allowed him to play one more year of football for the Sooners, which Murray clearly explained as a priority for him.
"We totally agreed with his desire to play quarterback in Oklahoma," Eric Kubota, director of A's surveillance, told reporters last June. "Frankly, we are rather excited to be a supporter of Oklahoma for 12 games."
Murray's bet did not pay off
Fast forward to January, Murray had won the Heisman Trophy and Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield had helped to continue defeating the stigma against the NFL's smaller quarterbacks.
Having between 5 and 10 and weighing about 200 pounds, Murray possesses the type of body that would have left him largely neglected by the NFL scouts years ago. He is now the first choice of the first round, who could be first on the table at next week's NFL draft.
All this was in addition to a draw too strong for Murray, who gave up the millions of guaranteed dollars that the A had promised him for the chance to be a quarter of franchise in the NFL.
According to a report by Sports Illustrated, Murray has left a lot more money than originally thought.
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Kyler Murray, winner of the Heisman 2018 Trophy
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Quarterback Kyler Murray (1) of Texas A & M warms up before a college football game in the NCAA on Saturday, September 5, 2015 in Houston. (AP Photo / George Bridges)
Quarterback Kyler Murray of Texas A & M warms up before a college football match against Nevada in the NCAA on Saturday, September 19, 2015 in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo / David J. Phillip)
Quarterback Kyler Murray (1) of Texas A & M during the first half of an NCAA college football game against South Carolina on Saturday, October 31, 2015 in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo / Eric Gay)
Quarterback Kyler Murray (1) of Texas A & M in field training before the start of a Texas A & M and Western Carolina college football game on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015 at College Station Texas. Texas A & M defeated West Carolina 41-17. (AP Photo / Juan DeLeon)
Quarterback Kyler Murray of Oklahoma at the NCLA Oklahoma University Annual Spring Football Game in Norman, Okla., On Saturday, April 8, 2017. (AP Photo / Sue Ogrocki)
DOSSIER – In the archive photo of September 2, 2017, Kyler Murray (1), Oklahoma quarterback, wears against UTEP in the third quarter of a college football match of the NCAA in Norman, Okla. For the second season of Lincoln Riley as head coach in Oklahoma The Sooners have to find the successor to Baker, the winner of Heisman. So much of the coach's first spring was determining the new start, a process between Kyler Murray's replacement last year and the Austin Kendall redshirt that continues in the summer and preseason. (AP Photo / Sue Ogrocki, File)
Oakland Athletics draft pick Kyler Murray is expected to hit in a batting practice prior to a baseball game between the Athletics and Los Angeles Angels in Oakland, California on Friday, June 15, 2018. (Photo AP / Jeff Chiu)
Oklahoma quarterback, Kyler Murray, talks with the media at the end of the day dedicated to college football media in the NCAA in Norman, Oklahoma on Monday, August 6, 2018 (AP Photo / Sue Ogrocki)
Quarterback Kyler Murray (1) of Oklahoma participates in the first half of a college football match against the Florida Atlantic in Norman, Oklahoma, on Saturday, September 1, 2018. (Photo AP / Sue Ogrocki)
DOSSIER – In this Sept. 8, 2018, photo archive, quarterback Kyler Murray (1) of Oklahoma launches at a university football game between UAA and Oklahoma at Norman in Oklahoma, Kyle Murray, of West Virginia, Will Grier, in the state of Iowa, Brock Purdy and Sam Ehlinger, of Texas, was impressive and was able to determine which teams would be going to the title game on December 1 in Arlington, Texas.
(AP Photo / Sue Ogrocki, File)
Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray (1) and wide catcher Oklahoma CeeDee Lamb (2) celebrate at a university football game between the Army and the US. Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, Saturday, September 22, 2018. (AP Photo / Sue Ogrocki)
Quarterback Kyler Murray (1) of Oklahoma fights Texas in the first half of an NCAA college football game at Cotton Bowl on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018 in Dallas. (AP Photo / Cooper Neill)
Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury meets with Kyler Murray (1) of Oklahoma after a college football game in the NCAA on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018 in Lubbock, NC. Texas. (AP Photo / Brad Tollefson)
Quarterback Kyler Murray (1) of Oklahoma leaves the field after a match against Oklahoma State in an NCAA college football game in Norman, Oklahoma on Saturday, November 10, 2018. Oklahoma won 48 -47. (AP Photo / Alonzo Adams)
Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray (1) gestures to his team in a game against Kansas during the second part of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Oklahoma , Saturday, November 17, 2018. Oklahoma won 55-40. (AP Photo / Alonzo Adams)
Kyler Murray (1) quarterback of Oklahoma scored a touchdown in front of the Kansas defenders in the second half of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Oklahoma, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018. Oklahoma won 55-40. (AP Photo / Alonzo Adams)
Kyler Murray (1) quarterback from Oklahoma celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Oklahoma during the second half of the Big 12 Conference University Football Game, held Saturday, December 1, 2018 in Arlington , in Texas. Oklahoma won 39-27. (AP Photo / Jeffrey McWhorter)
Oklahoma quarterback, Kyler Murray (1), celebrates Saturday after passing a touchdown pass, Grant Calcaterra, at the end of the first half of the Big Big Conference Conference's college football match against Texas, Saturday, December 1, 2018 in Arlington. (AP Photo / Jeffrey McWhorter)
Quarterback Kyler Murray (center, left) of Oklahoma Sooners is interviewed by ESPN reporter Holly Rowe (left) after receiving the MVP title, while the coach Chief Lincoln Riley (right) and Big 12 Conference Commissioner Bob Bowlsby (center right) watch the NCAA Big 12. Conference football championship between Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns on Saturday, December 1, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Oklahoma beat Texas 39-27. (AP Photo / Roger Steinman)
REPORT – In this photo from December 1, 2018, Kyler Murray of Oklahoma wins the Most Outstanding Player Trophy after defeating Texas 39-27 at the Big 12 Conference University Football Game in Arlington. in Texas. Murray was named Football Player of the Year Associated Press College on Thursday, December 6, 2018. (AP Photo / Jeffrey McWhorter, File)
Oklahoma quarterback, Kyler Murray, holds the Heisman Trophy after winning the trophy on Saturday, December 8, 2018 in New York. (AP Photo / Craig Ruttle)
Quarterback Kyler Murray of Oklahoma will be speaking at a college football media day in the NCAA on Thursday, December 27, 2018, in Miami Gardens, Florida. Alabama will play Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl on December 29th. (AP Photo / Brynn Anderson)
Kyler Murray (1) quarterback of Oklahoma looks up during the first half of the Orange Bowl University football game against Alabama on Saturday, December 29, 2018, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo / Lynne Sladky)
MIAMI GARDENS, FL – DECEMBER 29: Kyler Murray, No. 1 of the Oklahoma Sooners, leaves the field during the semifinal of college football matches at Capital One Orange Bowl on December 29, 2018, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Gardens, Florida. Credit: mpi04 / MediaPunch / IPX
MIAMI, FL – DECEMBER 29: Kyler Murray, No. 1 of the Oklahoma Sooners, reacts after losing to Alabama Crimson Tide in the playoff semi-final at College One at Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
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A would have increased his offer to Murray by $ 14 million
SI's Robert Klemko reports that the As reinforced their commitment to Murray in January with a $ 14 million guaranteed cash offer in addition to his initial signing bonus.
According to the report:
"According to a source close to the family, A's contingent who went to Kyler in January offered him a $ 14 million cash contract, in addition to his signature bonus. (The deal would have forced Oakland to make the extreme decision to add Murray to his 40-man roster and would have paid a similar figure to a top-10 pick in the NFL.) For the record, the Bears linebacker Roquan Smith, eighth in 2018, signed a four-year deal worth $ 18.5 million.) But Kyler declined the offer and his family kept this financial information out of reach. media. "
The reported offer added to the NFL's money in the first round
So basically, the A's offered Murray, in the first round, the NFL to stay in baseball. It was a significant commitment to a potential baseball player who – like most potential young players – was far from assured of becoming a player contributing to MLB.
But with Murray pulling up the NFL boards, he had a significant leverage on the A, who would have been happy to hand out NFL first-hand money to an unproven prospect.
This is still not enough
Of course, Murray has rejected them and will enter next week as the biggest story of the NFL draft. Murray would have rejected A's offer reinforced the idea that football was his first love, which should have been clear when he decided last fall to play the game for free rather than start his career as a star. professional ball.
The A clearly coveted Murray and took a big bet. They lost to their decision to replace him and allow him to play football. They apparently enjoyed it so much that they gave up the standards of baseball contracts with the massive offer to retain him.
In the end, the lure of the NFL was too much for Murray. He will realize his dreams next Thursday by calling his name in the first round of the repechage.
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NFL teams Kyler Murray are in the top spot for the first week
