Kyler Murray remains the hottest player in the upcoming 2019 NFL Draft. Amid rumors that the Arizona Cardinals are taking him No. 1 overall, the Oakland Raiders are emerging as a team that wants the Heisman Trophy winner.
Speaking on the “Dan Patrick Show” Monday morning, Peter King of Pro Football Talk said, “Someone in Indianapolis told me Jon Gruden is the worst poker player in the NFL. He and Mike Mayock can talk all they want about Derek Carr … but I’ll tell you Jon Gruden is very interested in Kyler Murray,” per Andrew Perloff.
The Raiders were said to be shopping Carr this past week at the combine, despite assurances from both Gruden and Mayock that they view him as a franchise passer.
That Gruden might be fascinated by Murray shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. He’s been a huge fan of the way college offenses have influenced the NFL in recent years. Murray represents a chance to get very creative on that front. He’s also very, very good.
We’ve discussed how this year’s draft is a high-stakes game of chicken at the top. Oakland has the No. 4 overall pick, which may not be enough to land Murray. So, if Gruden and Mayock really do want him, they’ll have to roll the dice. It’s going to be fascinating to see how things shake out in April.