Kyler Murray is a near unprecedented kind of athlete.
The two-sport product has the chance to become a top-10 draft pick in two different professional leagues. Murray was picked ninth in the 2018 MLB Amateur Draft by the Oakland Athletics, signing a minor-league with the A’s. But Murray was allowed to return to Oklahoma to play football, going on to win the Heisman Trophy and catapult his value amongst football scouts.
Murray recently declared for the NFL Draft, with many analysts projecting him as a first-round pick. Meanwhile, the A’s are expecting Murray to be at spring training when practices begin next month.
Needless to say, the 21-year-old has a massive decision in front of him.
And who better to provide advice on such a monumental decision than Bo Jackson?
Jackson perhaps exemplifies the most successful case of a two-sport athlete, with impressive stints with the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Royals. The 56-year-old admittedly does not watch sports as much as he used to, as noted in a Q&A with MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan, but he did share some words on Murray and being a two-sport athlete.
“I know he won the Heisman Trophy because I voted for him,” Jackson told Flanagan. “I would not give him advice (about choosing football or baseball) because I just did what my heart told me to do.”
Jackson spent three seasons playing in the both MLB and NFL.
When asked if playing two sports today is more difficult now, the former running back and outfielder replied:Â “Yes, 100 percent, The athletic pool is so rich and deep in talent, it’s not funny. It’s ridiculous how talented the kids are today. If you try to be great in both sports, you’ll end up being mediocre in both, probably second string in both.
“I’m not saying I was better than anyone else, but at the time I came up, the baseball team didn’t look like a team going to the Super Bowl,” he added. “All the baseball players today are like between 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-8 and weigh 260 pounds. They all look like linebackers. The young man from Oklahoma should just go with his heart.”
While Jackson wasn’t willing to sway one way or the other, Murray would be wise to follow the big man’s advice. After all, Bo knows best.
