Pop quiz: Where do you know this turtle from?
It’s a trick question, because I guarantee that you have never seen this turtle before. That is the mascot of the Beloit Snappers, a Single-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics in Beloit, Wisconsin, which doubles as the would-be expected employer of Kyler Murray, the Heisman Trophy–winning Oklahoma quarterback/center fielder and once-in-a-generation dual-sport demigod. And if everything were to go according to the A’s plans, Murray, whom they drafted ninth overall in June, would likely be wearing a Snappers uniform before a roaring sold-out crowd of 3,501 fans at Harry C. Pohlman field in Beloit in 2019.
But in perhaps the most relatable (and correct) decision by a top athlete in recent memory, Murray is having second thoughts about whether he wants to start in the minor leagues, move to Beloit, Wisconsin, and play for the Snappers. The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser reported on Wednesday that the A’s expect Murray to enter the NFL draft and likely forgo the $4.66 million deal he signed with Oakland. For the Athletics, who won’t receive a compensation pick if Murray decides not to play baseball, it’s an unmitigated disaster. For football fans, it’s an absolute delight. Murray’s entry would spice up a 2019 draft that was dangerously close to being bland and expands possibilities across the board.
The requisite caveats: Murray has not announced that he’s entering the NFL draft. Even if he does, it’s not a guarantee he won’t play baseball, though he’ll have to decide soon. His first true fork in the road will be choosing between Athletics camp, which begins on February 15, and the NFL scouting combine two weeks later. Not every athlete has been forced to choose (though their teams have tried). Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders famously played in the MLB and NFL simultaneously, but Murray is a quarterback, and the time commitment it takes to be an NFL passer would make it extremely difficult to play baseball too. That means the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner has to choose. It’s a tough decision for Murray considering the allure of the bright lights in Beloit, Wisconsin, which boasts the Beloit International Film Festival and one of the five most romantic main streets in America according to the National Main Street Center, and is the hometown of former NFL head coach Jim Caldwell.
Murray might already be the best quarterback prospect in the draft. Oregon’s Justin Herbert made the risky decision to go back to school, and Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins is a consensus but somewhat lukewarm top prospect. The quarterbacks after him—West Virginia’s Will Grier, Missouri’s Drew Lock, Duke’s Daniel Jones—would have been ranked closer to Mason Rudolph than Sam Darnold in last year’s quarterback class. Murray’s entry shakes the group up considerably. On the surface, he’s remarkably similar to his predecessor at Oklahoma, Baker Mayfield. They bring a similar résumé (Heisman Trophy–winning Oklahoma quarterback who led their team to a Big 12 Championship, a 12-2 record, and a loss to the SEC champion in the College Football Playoff). They have similar knocks as prospects. (They’re both short, and swap out Baker’s reported attitude problems with Kyler’s draft commitment problems.) They also had remarkably similar stats in head coach Lincoln Riley’s offense.
Baker vs. Kyler
There’s one other thing they may have in common when the draft is all said and done: a shocking rise to the no. 1 overall pick. In October, then–Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury said he’d take Murray with the no. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft.
In a bizarre set of circumstances, Kingsbury is now the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals … who have the no. 1 overall pick. Arizona just drafted quarterback Josh Rosen 10th overall last year, but if Kingsbury does think Murray would be a better fit in his offense, it’s not outside the realm of possibility for the team to trade Rosen (or at least not as surprising as it would be to tell someone a month ago that Kingsbury would become an NFL head coach before February).
Even if Kingsbury were merely paying Murray lip service, Murray’s availability invites the imagination. He could be drafted by the New York Giants to play with Odell Beckham Jr. and Saquon Barkley. He could be taken by Jon Gruden (who wields three first-round picks) to be the face of the Las Vegas Raiders. He could be drafted as the heir to Drew Brees or Tom Brady. Or he could be a snapping turtle. Decisions, decisions.
