Kyler Murray isn't throwing or taking part in any of the skill tests on Saturday. His draft stock did rise, however, during player measurements on Thursday. Murray came in taller than expected at just over 5-foot-10 with a weight of 207 pounds and hands measuring 9.5 inches.
The height is still small for a quarterback, but better than expected for a quarterback who already grabbed the attention of NFL teams. While he will not work out at the Combine, Murray will do everything at his pro day later this month.
The Arizona Cardinals own the No. 1 overall pick and have a quarterback in Josh Rosen. But they also have a new coach in Kliff Kingsbury, who is familiar with Murray. The two were together at Texas A&M in 2015.
Cardinals general manager Steve Keim was asked on Wednesday if Rosen was the Cardinals' quarterback going forward.
"Yeah," Keim responded. "He is right now, for sure."
The "right now" ignited media speculation.
Murray informed reporters on Friday that he would be meeting with the Cardinals over the weekend. That's not a move that boasts confidence in last year's No. 10 overall pick, Rosen.
"Coach Kingsbury, I know the type of offense he runs. Obviously, he recruited me out of high school. I have a great relationship with him," Murray said. "If I were to play under him, I think it'd be a great deal, but again, like I said, I don't get to pick the players, all I can do is show up and do what I'm supposed to do, work hard and get after it."
Kim Jones of NFL Network is reporting that the buzz around the NFL Scouting Combine this week points to the Cardinals potentially using the top pick on Murray.
On NFLN, Kim Jones states people are starting to believe "almost universally" that Kyler Murray will be the No. 1 pick by the Cardinals.
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) March 2, 2019
"In terms of Murray, people are beginning to believe almost universally he will indeed be the No. 1 pick in this draft by the Arizona Cardinals," Jones reported Saturday on NFL Network. "In fact, teams picking in the top 10 believe they'll have no chance of drafting Murray. He's not the biggest quarterback in the world, but he is a very big presence at this combine."
Ralph Vacchiano of SportsNet New York is hearing the same thing.
"In fact, many NFL sources, from scouts to agents to team executives, told SNY at the NFL Scouting Combine this week that they believe the Cardinals really are targeting Murray with the No. 1 overall pick," wrote Vacchiano. "None of them knew for sure, obviously, and the Cards brain trust wasn't ready to tip its hand."
Murray believes he could be successful in Kingsbury's offense.
"Obviously, I'm very comfortable knowing how he operates that offense, what we look for, and how to operate everything as far as everything at the line of scrimmage," Murray continued. "Me and him being together would be nice... He's always been very fond of me, and I respect that, and I'm not taking that for granted. He's always someone I could go to if I needed anything."
The Cardinals selecting Murray would be fantastic news for the San Francisco 49ers, who don't need a quarterback. The team would have their choice of pass rushers, including Nick Bosa of Ohio State.
Many have felt that Bosa was the consensus top pick in this draft. The Cardinals taking Murray would be a gift for the 49ers, who desperately need an elite pass rusher.
Despite not needing a quarterback, general manager John Lynch has been gushing over Murray at the draft. He may genuinely like the quarterback, or he may be trying to boost Murray's stock to help nudge the Cardinals toward the quarterback or entice another team to trade up with San Francisco for him.
"We obviously aren't in the market for a quarterback, but I keep throwing [Murray's] darn film on because it's so fun to watch," Lynch said via the San Francisco Chronicle. "He's an electric player."
H/t to Walter Football for the find.
