Kyler Murray has finally made his decision. The Oklahoma quarterback played this past season with intentions of playing professional baseball, at least that is what everyone thought. He was selected ninth overall in the 2018 MLB Draft. Murray got the chance to play college football this season, and took advantage of the opportunity.
The junior finished with 4,361 pass yards with 42 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He added 1,001 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. Oklahoma’s season ended with a semi-final loss to Alabama, and a Heisman trophy for their dynamic quarterback.
The story throughout the entire season remained that Murray would switch over to baseball come Spring Training. Well, teams have reported to camp, and Murray has decided to put all his effort in football. He has declared for the NFL Draft, and said that he is dedicated to play the quarterback position. With this being a weak draft at the position, there has been speculation about which team will take Murray — and how early.
There is some baggage that comes with Murray. His dedication to the sport can be in question. He was fully committed to baseball until recently. Some have been critical of his ability to run a pro style offense at the next level. Oklahoma plays in the Big 12 which is not defensive heavy at all. We have seen quarterbacks like Robert Griffin III come into the NFL, and their success has not been great.
Murray is listed at 5’10, which means he is probably a couple inches shorter than that. He stands two inches shorter than Drew Brees, and an inch shorter than Russell Wilson. Murray’s height and, ability to stay healthy is a concern at the next level. Regardless, Murray is a big name, and will be drafted in the first round. There are teams near the top who need help at the quarterback position. The question remains, which team will be the best fit for Murray?
New York Giants
The Giants passed on taking a quarterback in what was viewed as a strong class last season. They opted to go with Saquon Barkley, who was selected as the Offensive Rookie of the Year. They will have another chance this time around. With Eli Manning back, it is a mystery what the Giants will do. If they decide to take a quarterback, than they will have to let Manning go, and start the post-Eli era.
Why would this be a good move for the Giants? They would possess three of the biggest names in the league. Odell Beckham Jr. and Barkley are two of the top skill position players in the NFL. Adding Kyle Murray would give them another big name to go on their offense.Why is it not a good fit? The Giants have much bigger needs at the quarterback position. Taking Murray would confirm the rebuild process. It would behoove the Giants to take the best available player, sure up their offensive line, and prepare to win next season.
There have been rumors that New York is interested in Dwayne Haskins. It is unknown what the Giants plan to do with their pick, but if they go quarterback, Murray will be in the mix.
Arizona Cardinals
Yes, the Cardinals drafted a quarterback with their first pick of last year’s draft. Josh Rosen finished with 2,278 yards with 14 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in his rookie campaign. He did not look like their franchise player moving forward, but are they ready to move on from him already?
Arizona moved on from Bruce Arians after a dreadful season. They hired Kliff Kingsbury to take over. The interesting story is that Kingsbury said that he would take Murray first overall. Whether he actually will or not is yet to be seen, but he will certainly have the chance. With the days of Larry Fitzgerald coming to an end, the Cardinals are in need of a new face of the franchise. Murray would provide Arizona with publicity, and a new player who could become the franchise guy.
Murray’s success in college does not guarantee him success in the NFL. In the 2020 NFL Draft, there are prospects viewed as can’t miss, such as Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert. Arizona will have a chance to snag one of them if they give Rosen another chance to prove himself this season. The Cardinals hired an offensive coach in Kingsbury, and Murray played for Lincoln Riley, another offensive genius. Even though this may seem like a match, Murray is not worth the first pick in this year’s draft.
Miami Dolphins
We have a winner. The Dolphins have limited cap space heading into free agency, and Ryan Tannehill is set to be a free agent. He has played 24 games in the past three seasons due to a knee injury. Tannehill has throw double-digit interceptions in every season in his career, aside from last season when he finished with nine in 11 games. Signing him long-term would be a huge mistake.
Miami holds the 13th pick in the draft this summer. They are a rebuilding team who is in the market for a new quarterback. There are just two teams ahead of them in the draft that need a quarterback. Those teams are the Giants and Jaguars. Behind them, the Redskins are in the market for a quarterback, however it is unlikely they go that route in the draft.
The Dolphins come in as the best fit for Murray. He played in the Big 12, which is the offensive powerhouse in college football. Heading to Miami would benefit Kyle Murray because it will give him the change to sling the pill in great weather. He is a player that likes to use his speed, which is completely different than Tannehill.
It is time for the Dolphins to make a change, and become a new look team. Miami brought in Brian Flores to be the new head coach. They can complete their makeover with a new quarterback. If Murray is there at 13, he could very well end up in Miami next season.
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