Kyler Murray Still Plans to Give Up Football, Play Baseball in Athletics' System

An outstanding junior year with the Oklahoma Sooners hasn't changed Kyler Murray's desire to pursue a professional baseball career with the Oakland Athletics after the 2018 college football season. 

"I feel like I can play in the NFL, but as far giving it up, as of now, yeah, that's the plan," Murray said Monday, per the Oklahoman's Joe Mussatto.

The Athletics selected Murray with the ninth overall pick of the 2018 MLB draft. Murray and Oakland agreed to a $4.66 million signing bonus, and as part of the deal, Murray would get to play one more year with Oklahoma.

Few could've imagined just how good Murray would be. He has thrown for 3,674 yards, 37 touchdowns and seven interceptions while running for 853 yards and 11 scores in 12 games. He's also on pace to have the second-best passer rating in FBS history (206.8).

Were he to prolong his football career, Murray has one more year of eligibility before he could make the jump to the NFL. However, Murray's agent, Scott Boras, downplayed any chance he'd have a change of heart.

"Any judgments made as to him executing his contractual commitments, understand who Kyler is," Boras said earlier this month, per Mussatto. "He's committed to his team at OU, and he's also committed to the Oakland A's."

Murray batted .296 with 10 home runs, 47 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 51 games for the Oklahoma baseball team in 2018. MLB.com ranks him as the fourth-best prospect in Oakland's minor league system.

Assuming he's gone after 2018, Murray will have more than delivered in his only season as the Sooners' starting quarterback. In addition to being in the running for the Heisman Trophy, Oklahoma could reach the College Football Playoff with a win over the Texas Longhorns in the Big 12 title game.