Means OU opens with a new QB
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Enter Jalen Hurts.
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I have never been in this position and never will be in this position, but since this is a forum, I’m going to give my opinion anyway. I don’t understand this at all. If you have the opportunity to make insane money in 2 different ways: one where longevity is the norm and there is no salary cap, so earning potential is essentially unlimited, and one that will most likely completely destroy your body and probably your brain in 5 years or less, the choice seems obvious to me. I understand it takes longer to get there with baseball, but if I recall correctly, the A’s were going to pay him a $4 million signing bonus. But, to each his own, I suppose.
https://twitter.com/NOTSportsCenter/status/1084912938920673286
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Part of it may be that he loves football. He cared enough to transfer somewhere he could develop/star at QB. He also played at OU this year after MLB made him a millionaire.
Part of it may be the lack of patience to wait to make the big money in front of the big crowds in MLB. Sure he got a signing bonus of a few million but beyond that his salary is peanuts for years (comparatively) and he would be playing in front of 5-10K in the minors for a while at least. He is 6-8 years away from making the big $$$ in MLB and that is even if he makes it to the pros and plays at the highest level to get a massive contract. There’s a lot of risk there.
I have my doubts that he is a franchise QB in the pros but at worst I see him as a late first round type pick where he could be a WR/gadget guy (think a better version of Tavon Austin. Austin has made $35 million to be an average to below average pro). Someone may even grab him in the teens of the first round and try him at QB.
I think he is looking at $15-20 million as a floor in NFL and over $100 million if the QB thing works out. For MLB his ceiling may still be over $100 million but the floor is much more likely and is easily under $10 million. It’s a better option money wise to go to the NFL.
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I may be proven wrong (Often the case) but this seems like a bad idea on his part. Don’t really care one way or the other but he had the $ from the As then he tried to go back on his deal and get more $. He’s going to get his block knocked off in the NFL.
The fact that they think he is in the Russell Wilson height range is rather comical. 5’ 9 WITH cleats. He better make the correct reads in the NFL because standing 30 yards away from the LOS will create shorter time in which he can fit the ball through traffic. Baseball makes more sense but everyone wants a QB to represent their Alma mater…
He likes baseball but loves football 
. It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out.
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Remember Boras is his agent. This could be to squeeze more money out of the A’s
Except that he “loved” baseball enough to sign a contract with the A’s. I don’t think he suddenly loved football more this year than last year. I gotta believe NFL teams aren’t super thrilled with his level of commitment.
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I could have gone pro, IF I was a little taller, faster, stronger, and didn’t have a couple of screws loose. Other than, y’all are basically chatting with an All-Pro! So what does this coulda been all pro think? With that frame, go baseball and go for the long tail rewards, but who can deny that Football is way more fun. Do what you love and to hell with everybody else.
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I think the A’s deal was always the backup plan. Football is in his heart. Otherwise he wouldn’t have won the heisman trophy or even risked playing at OU.
Baseball isn’t a dying sport, but it isn’t as exciting as football. You look at an athlete like Kyler who is a leader. He needs to play in a sport where he can have the ball as much as possible instead of sitting around in the outfield picking at grass.
I grew up playing football and baseball. I don’t know… If I was in his shoes, I would choose football every time. I can’t imagine playing 162 baseball games standing in centerfield. If baseball was my only option then yeah obviously you take it, but there’s nothing like football.
Thing about baseball is that there are no guarantees of making it to the pros or having a good career. He can make $4M now, but what if he never makes it to the big leagues? And, he’ll be riding buses and rooming with guys until he does make it.
In the NFL, he may be a backup, but he’ll be chartered around and be pampered almost immediately. If he does well, he’ll far surpass that $4M. As far as injury risk, QBs tend to be fairly safe and can carve out long careers if they aren’t RG3’d. If he doesn’t do well, he can always go back to baseball.
I’m a baseball guy, but I think he’s making the right call.
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I’m a football guy and disagree. While there aren’t guarantees that you’ll make it. If you do the playoffs are much better for longer and are guaranteed. Personally, if he’s that will regarded on both sorts, go the Bo Jackson route, that would be awesome.
I think teams are saying that, because he’s a QB which requires more study and leadership, he could only do one or the other.
He’ll have a longer career playing baseball if he’s that good. And still be able to walk straight afterwards.
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I don’t like seeing kids turn pro early. Hurts the college game. However at least we won’t have to face Murray next year.
John and Lance were talking about this on their show this morning. Lance mentioned that he had heard (and it must be true because he LOTS of Twitter followers) the A’s might work out a deal where they add Murray to their 40-man roster and then send him to the minors. This would get him the $14M or so that a QB 1st round contract would. Seems like the MLB brass/owners would not want to set a precedent like this but it will be interesting to follow. Does Arizona take Murray and try to make Arizona a blend of the Rams (young HC) and the Chiefs (young, exciting QB)?
I agree that with baseball he can make his money and not worry about lifelong knee injuries and brain damage. There are no guarantees. Maybe he thought baseball was his best shot until this Heisman thing happened…
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Money Squeeze on the A’s I agree.
If you love something you’ll never be happy doing something else.
Declaring for the draft is smart, it gives him leverage. Playing in the NFL, I don’t see it.