Report: Athletics expect Kyler Murray to enter NFL draft

The Oakland Athletics expect reigning Heisman Trophy winner and Athletics draft pick Kyler Murray to declare Sunday for the upcoming NFL draft, multiple sources told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Murray, an outfielder on the diamond, is due to report to spring training in Arizona on Feb. 15 - almost two weeks before the NFL's scouting combine takes place.

It's still unclear if Murray will be at the combine, but a source told Slusser he's leaning toward football and that the A's might consider allowing their first-round selection to attend.

Should he elect to play football over baseball, Murray would forfeit the entire $4.66-million signing bonus he received after the Athletics drafted him ninth overall this past June.

Oakland would hold Murray's baseball rights in the event he returned to the sport but won't receive a compensatory pick in the 2019 draft if he chooses football, according to Slusser.

Declaring for the draft would not affect Murray's bonus with the Athletics as he could still return to them; a source told Slusser there's "no harm" in looking at the NFL.

Although Murray's agent, Scott Boras, said the 21-year-old was committed to Oakland immediately after he won the Heisman, questions about Murray's future in baseball have grown louder in recent weeks.

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