Kyler Murray Expected to Play for Oklahoma Even If He's Picked in 2018 MLB Draft

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Kyler Murray could hear his name called in the first few rounds of the 2018 MLB draft, but Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley doesn't expect Murray to put his football career on hold ahead of what's going to be his junior season.

According to ESPN's Jake Trotter, Riley said he has spoken with Murray's family and come to believe Murray will continue to play football even if he's selected in the MLB draft.

"I knew the deal when we were getting into it," Riley said. "[They have] lived up to their word in every part of it."

With Baker Mayfield gone, Murray is one of the most likely options to start at quarterback for Oklahoma next year. He threw for 359 yards and three touchdowns in seven appearances in 2017, having redshirted the 2016 campaign after transferring from Texas A&M.

Murray is also a member of the Sooners baseball team, which faces Mississippi State on Friday in the regional round of the 2018 NCAA tournament. Through 51 games, Murray is batting .296 with 10 home runs, 47 RBI and a .556 slugging percentage.

Depending on where he's selected in the draft, Murray may have a difficult decision ahead.

ESPN's Keith Law had him 38th on his most recent big board, while he sits 36th on MLB.com, which put him in the competitive balance round A. The slot money for pick No. 36 through 43 varies between $1.6 million and $1.9 million. Going into the second round, the slot money for all but four picks eclipses $1 million.

That would be a lot of money to leave on the table in order to play football, which is to say nothing of the time Murray would lose to hone his baseball skills.

Although the lure of starting for the Sooners in 2018 will be strong, Murray will have to weigh that against potentially jeopardizing his long-term future on the diamond.