Whether or not Kyler Murray throws at the NFL Scouting Combine next week is still unclear.
What's no longer uncertain is that the Oklahoma dual-sport star is committed to playing football at the professional level.
Murray announced in a Twitter post on Feb. 11 that he was "firmly and fully committing" to becoming an NFL quarterback. He reiterated those sentiments on Saturday afternoon.
"For me, it was something I've known for a while," Murray told ESPN's Jake Trotter at an Oklahoma basketball game. "That organization, being with the [MLB's Oakland] A's, was the best possible situation for me just because they were so great throughout the football season, kind of leaving me alone and letting me do my own thing, and at the same time letting me know how much I meant to them and that type of stuff. Telling them was tough."
Murray was selected ninth overall by the Athletics in the 2018 MLB Draft, but was allowed to play his final season of football at Oklahoma. He won the Heisman Trophy as a Sooner in 2018, prompting him to reevaluate his future, which has now led him from the diamond to the gridiron.
As Oakland begins spring training and Murray plans for next week's combine (broadcast on NFL Network) and April's NFL Draft, the quarterback told the A's not to wait up for him.
"I mean, they can hold out all the hope they want to," Murray said. "I'm going to play football."
Murray explained that, while he has appreciated his career in baseball, collegiate and professional, albeit briefly, he has seen himself first and foremost as a football player for some time.
"The night I got drafted to the A's -- obviously it was a great day of my life -- but I've been a football player my whole life," Murray said. "I didn't know how the NFL felt about me before this season because I hadn't played.
"Going into this [football] season, [the goal] was to put myself in the best position possible. Obviously, when you win, good things happen. A lot of good stuff happened this year."
Murray is NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah's 29th best prospect available heading into the 2019 NFL Draft. Our NFL.com mock drafts have Murray landing with the Raiders (No. 4), Jaguars (7), Broncos (10), Dolphins (13) and Patriots (32).
