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There are nearly as many doubts about Kyler Murray as there is belief. Depending on who you talk to within football circles, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner is a no-brainer selection for the top overall pick in the NFL draft or not even worthy of consideration in the first round. Count Hall-of-Fame coach Jimmy Johnson as one of those talent evaluators falling somewhere in the middle, who acknowledges the dynamism Murray brings to the field while also being concerned about his perceived weaknesses.
Article Continues Below“Kyler Murray is the kind of player who can take you to the playoffs or can be hurt his second game,” he told the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson. “He is exciting and a great college player, but he is undersized and a big part of his game is mobility and mobile quarterbacks in the NFL don’t last very long. But he is great player and exciting. It would be a tough call for me for the long haul. I would be hesitant.”
Murray set the NCAA on fire in 2018, leading the Oklahoma Sooners to the College Football Playoffs by throwing for 4,361 yards, 42 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while completing 69.0 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 1,001 yards and 12 touchdowns. But despite his unprecedented production as a first-year starter, questions remain about his potential at the next level, mostly due to the fact that he stands just 5-foot-10 and weighs 195 pounds.
Murray's diminutive stature might have made him a late-round draft pick a decade ago, but the success of shorter quarterbacks like Drew Brees, Russell Wilson, and Baker Mayfield has caused the NFL to rethink its longtime stance on undersized passers. Johnson, though, remains somewhat skeptical, which isn't exactly surprising given he last coached in the NFL before the new millennium.
