Peter King: Kyler Murray Up to 206 Pounds Entering 2019 NFL Draft Combine

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback and first-round prospect Kyler Murray is reportedly up to 206 pounds heading into this week's NFL Scouting Combine, according to Peter King of Pro Football Talk.

As King noted, Murray bulking up is "significant" in NFL circles:

"Talking to NFL people about Murray, as I wrote last week, there was worry that Murray had more of a Mookie Betts build in college than a Russell Wilson physique. Meaning Murray was not only small, but also slight. If Murray has spent the past five or six weeks bulking up, that would play in his favor at the combine and in completing scouting reports on a complex prospect, because teams want to see a thicker player than Murray was at OU. Theoretically, it would mean he'd be more equipped to withstand the pounding he'll obviously have to face in the NFL."

Murray's draft stock remains one of the most intriguing unknowns heading into the draft. The Heisman Trophy winner could potentially go as high as No. 1—if a team falls in love with his skill set and is willing to trade for the pick—but it's just as feasible he could fall into the teens. 

The issue for Murray remains his size. He's listed at just under 5'10", with NFL teams generally preferring quarterbacks much taller. There are obvious exceptions: Drew Brees is one of the best quarterbacks of all time, while Russell Wilson has thrived in the NFL. Size isn't everything. 

But it is a factor. Murray, like Brees and Wilson, will have to compensate for his size in other ways. For Murray, that is his elite athleticism and ability to make big plays as a runner. That puts an extensive burden on the defense, though it's all moot if Murray is too slight to absorb hits and stay on the field. 

Health has been a limiting factor for other athletic quarterbacks in the past (see: Robert Griffin III), so Murray's ability to bulk up and play at a bigger weight while remaining agile is important.

As for Murray's projected draft stock, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller has him at No. 15 overall on his latest big board, though he also predicted he would be a top-five pick. Quarterbacks come at a premium, and this year isn't a particularly great one for the position. 

Of course, various factors could impact whether he goes higher or lower, though one that some scouts aren't particularly worried about is whether he throws at this week's combine.

"Does it matter if he runs or throws?" one veteran NFL scout told Miller. "We know he's fast. Throwing against air isn't going to change anything. So I don't think it matters."

"Sam Darnold didn't throw last year; he did OK. Hell, even Lamar Jackson didn't throw or run, and he went 32," a scouting executive added. "Kyler is a lot better than him, too."