Kyler Murray's Road to the 2019 NFL Draft

Whether he's the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft or simply a first-round selection, Kyler Murray is preparing for the next chapter of a fascinating athletic journey.

Over the last four years, he's held several titles―ranging from coveted 5-star prospect to first-round MLB choice to Heisman Trophy winner―and made multiple stops along the way.

Throughout that time, Murray has been in the headlines for various reasons. Some good, some bad, some in between.

His time in the spotlight, however, is only just beginning.

High School Football

Murray attended Allen High School, a powerhouse in Texas football. In three seasons as a starter, he posted a perfect 42-0 record and guided the Eagles to three consecutive state championships.

The 2014 Gatorade Player of the Year, Murray was a 5-star prospect and considered the No. 34 overall player in his class.

That was no surprise, given his absurd level of production. In three seasons, Murray racked up 10,386 yards and 117 touchdowns through the air with only 22 interceptions while also scampering for 4,139 yards and 69 scores.

Murray chose Texas A&M over Texas, Oklahoma and others.

2015 Season at Texas A&M

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The departure of Kenny Hill created a quarterback competition between Murray and Kyle Allen, another 5-star recruit.

Allen initially won the competition and propelled Texas A&M to a 5-0 record. However, the Aggies dropped the next two games before a shoulder injury pushed Murray into the lineup.

He opened the next three games and helped the Aggies secure bowl eligibility, totaling 379 yards in a win over South Carolina. It wasn't all good, though. Murray threw three interceptions in a loss to Auburn and two picks during a drubbing of Western Carolina.

Six days before the Aggies met Louisville in the Music City Bowl, Oklahoma announced Murray would be joining its program.

2016 and 2017 Seasons at Oklahoma

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Baker Mayfield (6) and Murray (1)

Due to NCAA transfer rules, Murray spent the 2016 campaign on the sideline. As you'd expect, he garnered praise for his contributions running the scout-team offense.

"He's been doing a great job," All-Big 12 linebacker Jordan Evans said at the time, per ESPN's Jake Trotter. "I'm thankful we have him."

Murray assumed the backup role in 2017, serving as the understudy to Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield. Murray mostly played in garbage time, though he started one game against West Virginia when Mayfield served a brief suspension.

Murray ended the year with 18 completions on 21 attempts, throwing for 359 yards and three scores without an interception. He rushed for 142 yards, too.

College Baseball at Oklahoma

Though he projected as the starting QB for Oklahoma, Murray still had baseball on the brain. During the spring of 2018, he split time between the gridiron and diamond.

The outfielder finished the baseball season with a .296 batting average and .398 on-base percentage. Murray had 26 extra-base hits―including 10 homers―and drove in 47 runs. He tallied 10 stolen bases and notched a .991 fielding percentage, too.

Murray earned All-Big 12 honorable mention for his performance and helped Oklahoma reach the NCAA tournament.

2018 MLB Draft

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Murray's talent garnered the attention of Major League Baseball―especially that of the Oakland Athletics.

Despite the concerns about whether he would sign a contract, Oakland used the No. 9 overall selection of the 2018 MLB draft on Murray. His lucrative deal ultimately included a $4.66 million signing bonus, according to Jane Lee of MLB.com.

But the A's also agreed to let Murray play one year of football. Oakland executive Billy Beane expressed his excitement for Murray to finish out his college career before joining the A's.

"He's really fun to watch on a football field, and he's going to be fun to watch on a baseball field. It's neat that he gets to do both, and that the country gets to see both, but we're going to get the best years, and he's going to have a great baseball career."

Oops.

2018 Season at Oklahoma

Craig Ruttle/Associated Press

Murray wasted no time becoming a superstar, helping Oklahoma start 5-0 with massive numbers along the way. After a loss to Texas, the Sooners scored 48-plus points in each contest of a six-game winning streak to reach the Big 12 Championship Game.

And there, Murray exacted revenge on OU's rival. He amassed 418 yards of total offense, tossed three touchdowns and celebrated a 39-27 victory.

Not only did the win secure the Sooners' place in the College Football Playoff, it was the final piece of his Heisman Trophy resume. Murray narrowly beat out Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa for the award, and fellow top draft prospect Dwayne Haskins came in third.

Despite a cumulative 417-yard, three-touchdown performance, Murray's college career then ended with a 45-34 loss to Tagovailoa and Alabama in the Orange Bowl, a CFP semifinal.

Baseball or Football?

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As soon as Murray walked off the field in South Florida, the attention quickly shifted to one important question.

Would he stick with the A's? Or had a prolific year changed Murray's focus to playing professional football instead?

According to Robert Klemko of the MMQB, the A's offered $14 million of guaranteed money in addition to his signing bonus. Murray eventually passed up that proposal in favor of the 2019 NFL draft.

"Football has been my love and passion for my entire life," he said in a statement announcing his choice. "I was raised to play QB, and I very much look forward to dedicating 100 percent of myself to being the best QB possible and winning NFL championships."

2019 NFL Draft

Alonzo Adams/Associated Press

No matter what happens in the future―the franchise that selects him, the draft slot, his NFL performance―Thursday, April 25, is the next important date in Kyler Murray's story.

Early in the first round, he will hear his name called and join NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on the podium.

After a fascinating half-decade of accolades and major decisions, Murray will finally learn his professional future. For a while, it seemed to be with the Oakland Athletics, but he'll soon be an NFL quarterback.

Murray's journey has already been an adventurous one. Yet there are undoubtedly several more twists on the horizon.

All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from NCAA.com, cfbstats.com or B/R research. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.