Is Kyler Murray a legit NFL prospect? Kiper & McShay weigh in

Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray is going to play professional baseball. He has nearly 5 million reasons to do so, after the Oakland Athletics took him No. 9 overall in the MLB draft in June. "Kyler's baseball career has a very defined path, which includes playing football at OU for only the 2018 season," agent Scott Boras said in August.

But what if Murray weren't committed to baseball in 2019 and beyond? What if he decided to give football a shot long-term? We asked ESPN NFL draft experts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay to evaluate Murray, a fourth-year junior for the Sooners, as a football prospect.

Jump below the Murray section for Kiper and McShay's picks for under-the-radar prospects to keep an eye on, the College Football Playoff and MVP.

Murray's NFL potential

Kiper: Murray is one of the best dual-threat college quarterbacks I've ever seen. He just has rare athleticism, and there's a reason he was once one of the most sought-after recruits in the country. But Murray is so much more than a runner. He goes through progressions as a passer, he has a quick release, and the ball jumps out of his hand.

McShay: The arm talent has surpassed my expectations, no question. Murray is just naturally gifted with touch and ball placement. The numbers so far are incredible: 21 total touchdowns and just two picks in five games. He leads FBS in yards per attempt (13.4), and the Sooners rank first in yards per play (8.9).

Kiper: Size is the obvious question for his NFL future. Oklahoma lists him at 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, which is 3 inches shorter and 20 pounds lighter than Baker Mayfield, whom he backed up in 2017. There just hasn't been any recent pro success for quarterbacks under 6 feet, other than Russell Wilson.

McShay: And Wilson has a totally different body type than Murray. He's stronger and thicker, though Murray is the better overall athlete. Could Murray hold up physically as an NFL quarterback? We also had a 50-start college sample for Wilson. Murray has started only eight games so far, including three at Texas A&M in 2015. He is raw.

Kiper: The closest comp, physically, is Doug Flutie, who was 5-foot-9, 175 pounds coming out of Boston College in 1985. Murray is the superior athlete, but Flutie had a long pro career as an undersized signal-caller. He's really the only one who has come close.

McShay: Let's not forget that if Murray were serious about football, he has another year of eligibility to use. I'd love to see him get more starts in 2019 under coach Lincoln Riley, one of college football's brightest offensive minds. There are few coaches better than Riley at scheming open pass-catchers. He'll make Murray better.

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Murray shows off his unreal speed

Oklahoma's Kyler Murray runs through Army's defense for a 33-yard score to take a 21-14 lead.

Kiper: Totally agree. Right now, with a limited sample, I'd put Murray in the third-round range as a draft prospect. Maybe a creative team could take him earlier on Day 2 and use him situationally in his first season, like the Ravens are doing with Lamar Jackson. What do you think, Todd?

McShay: Again, just eight career starts. But my best early guess is there's no way this type of natural talent would get out of Round 2.

Kiper: It's also not crazy to think that Murray could come back to football in a few years. It has been done before with quarterbacks such as Drew Henson, Brandon Weeden and Chris Weinke. Keep in mind that Murray's $4.66 million signing bonus from Oakland is a lot of money. For reference, Raiders offensive tackle Brandon Parker, the first pick of the third round in April's draft, got $1,058,424 guaranteed in his deal.

Almost-famous under-the-radar prospects

Keep an eye on these potential Day 2 or Day 3 picks:

Juan Thornhill, S, Virginia

With eight career interceptions and a knack for breaking up passes, Thornhill has emerged as a potential Day 2 pick in 2019. He plays a rover-type position for the Cavaliers, and he played some cornerback early in his college career. At 6-foot, 210 pounds, he can play close to the line of scrimmage and help in the run game. It's that support in the run game that has most popped up on tape; he has 31 tackles so far this season. -- Kiper

Jimmy Moreland, CB, James Madison

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound redshirt senior cornerback returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown in Saturday's victory over Richmond to extend his interception streak to four games. It was also the third straight game in which he took an interception to the house for the Dukes. In all, he has 17 career picks, and he has returned six for touchdowns. Moreland is undersized and has average speed, but he is a competitor and does a great job using his off-hand to disrupt receivers. He can be too physical at times and occasionally gets caught peeking into the backfield. However, his ball skills and playmaking ability make him a late-round consideration in April. -- McShay

Prospects on the rise

These are the draft prospects moving up boards:

Grant Delpit, S, LSU

He isn't eligible for the 2019 draft as a sophomore, but he could be an eventual first-round pick. The 6-foot-3, 203-pound safety has two interceptions this season and has recorded three sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss and 27 total tackles (including 10 against Auburn in Week 3) for LSU. He plays with a lot of range and exhibits great ball skills. Delpit also shows a good sense of natural instinct when playing the game. He will be a name to know heading into the 2020 draft year. -- McShay

Chase Winovich, DE, Michigan

The Wolverines' defense pitched a second-half shutout in the comeback win over Northwestern on Saturday, and Winovich was a huge part of that. He had a sack and three total tackles for loss, and he was a nuisance off the edge. Winovich is great at using his hands as a pass-rusher and run defender, and he is always near the action. He can play on his feet or with his hand in the dirt, and that versatility makes him valuable at the next level. With the blond hair flowing out of his helmet, the 6-foot-3, 255-pounder reminds me of Clay Matthews, and he could be a late first-round pick like Matthews was in 2009 (No. 26 overall). -- Kiper

College football's most valuable players

These aren't our picks for the Heisman Trophy winner; these are the MVPs of college football.

Kiper's top three:

1. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama: Tagovailoa (97.8) and Murray (96.8) have the two highest QBRs through five games in the past 15 seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. The Heisman race is shaping up to be special.

2. Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma: Watch this run to see why Murray is such a special athlete.

3. Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State: Haskins had an up-and-down game against Penn State and missed some throws, but he came on in the second half. With an easy schedule coming up, don't discount Haskins in the Heisman race.

McShay's top three:

1. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama: He's the Heisman favorite right now for good reason. He was a perfect 8-for-8 against Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday, continuing his dominance.

2. Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State: Haskins used the screen pass to beat Penn State on Saturday, completing three on the winning touchdown drive. In all, he was 11-for-12 on screen passes on the night, with a pair of touchdowns.

3. Will Grier, QB, West Virginia: His 370-yard, three-touchdown performance Saturday against Texas Tech brought West Virginia to 4-0.

If the College Football Playoff started today ...

Kiper's top four teams:

1. Alabama

2. Georgia

3. Ohio State

4. Clemson

McShay's top four teams:

1. Alabama

2. Ohio State

3. Georgia

4. Clemson