Kyler Murray and the Media Frenzy

The fascination with Kyler Murray was on prime display as the Heisman winner stepped onto his podium to speak to the media. Murray was surrounded by a sea of people, recorders, cameras, and iPhones as he answered questions about choosing football over baseball and, of course, his height.

Murray has been enjoying the combine and didn’t think much of the highly anticipated height and weight check. “I’m loving this whole experience. You know, I showed up, and they told me to put my hand down, they told me to stand here, and step on the scale. That’s what I did, and everybody made a big deal about it.”

While it wasn’t a big deal to him, his measurements might have solidified him as a number one pick. The spotlight has shown brightly on the former Oklahoma quarterback, and he knows it. “It is what it is,” Murry said about the media scrutiny. “I don’t really pay attention to it. I can’t. I see it everywhere. I see it a lot, you know, when I’m sitting in the meeting rooms and with all the players and I’m on the TV. You can’t get away from it.”

Coming out of high school Murray was highly recruited by Kliff Kingsbury and Texas Tech. The now Cardinals head coach even said (while still coaching for Tech) he would take Murray number one if the draft. Now Kingsbury has the opportunity, and Murray will undoubtedly fit into the offensive system Kingsbury brings to the Cards. While Arizona would have to figure out something with Josh Rosen, it seems more and more probable Murray will go number one.

The Arizona coach and Murry have a great relationship still. “He’s always been very fond of me, and I respect that, and I’ve never taken that for granted,” Murray told reporters. “He’s always someone I could go to if I needed anything. It’d be fun.”

Another reason Murray draws big crowds is his decision to switch to football after getting drafted previously by the A’s. Many reporters asked about his decision and if he had any doubts and every time Murray fired back with a strong response. Murray told the crowd, “It’s a final decision. I’m here. I’m ready to go. I was born a football player. I love this game. There’s no turning back when I made this decision. I’m 100 percent in.”

When one reporter brought up Brice Harper’s contract, Murray shot back with a look and retorted, “Everyone makes a big deal of him making $300 million. There’s quarterbacks making more per year than him.”

The crowds around Murray are likely only to get bigger. NFL Spokesman Michael Signora has been to many combines and says the interest in Murray is some of the most he’s seen. “When you have a player who is as successful as Kyler was in college that interest really culminates here at the combine, so you see the tremendous crowds of people who are interested in speaking to him.” Not only that, but Signora said this year’s combine had the most media with 1,400 attendees.

With how talented Murray is it’s no surprise so many media members were interested in asking Murray about his future in the League, but as for his height he said, “It is what it is, and I think we can put all that to rest now.”