MESA, Ariz. _ The slim chance of Kyler Murray reporting to the A's spring training camp is officially over.
Murray, a two-sport star at Oklahoma, announced Tuesday via Twitter that he will focus on the NFL draft, scheduled for April 25-27. The Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback didn't mention the A's in his post.
"Moving forward, I am firmly and fully committing my life and time to becoming an NFL quarterback," Murray wrote. "Football has been my love and passion my entire life. I was raised to play QB, and I very much look forward to dedicating 100 percent of myself to being the best QB possible and winning NFL championships.
"I have started an extensive training program to further prepare myself for upcoming NFL workouts and interviews. I eagerly await the opportunity to prove to NFL decision makers that I am the franchise QB in this draft."
Shortly before the announcement, A's executive vice president Billy Beane said the club had been continuing discussions with Murray and his representatives about the athlete's baseball future.
Beane made light of the situation when asked if he'd draft Murray again considering the circumstances.
"If I get do-overs can I invest in Apple stock 30 years ago," Beane joked. "I don't get do-overs."
Reports surfaced last week that Murray would attend the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, Feb. 26-March 4, after his name was among those invited by the NFL. The A's had hoped Murray still would show up to camp Feb. 15, the club's official report date for position players.
NFL draft experts project Murray to be taken in the first round after his historic 2018 football season with the Sooners.
The A's will place Murray on the restricted list and still hold his baseball rights. But for now, Oakland has wasted the No. 9 overall pick from last year's baseball draft.
"We've known from the tone of the conversations that he could choose the NFL," A's general manager David Forst said. "We'll focus on what we need to do to make sure if he comes back to baseball at some point, he'll come back with the A's."
Expecting Murray to return to baseball is an optimistic approach, one manager Bob Melvin doesn't foresee as a likely scenario. Melvin watched Murray closely this past season and was impressed with what he was able to accomplish with a smaller-than-usual stature for a quarterback.
Melvin said will be rooting for Murray throughout his football career, one which he expects to be very successful.
"I have a hard time believing he's not going to have a great football career," Melvin said, noting Murray's resilience while leading a furious comeback that fell just short against Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal. "He's a premier quarterback and athletic. The guy is a gamer and I think he's going to have a long football career."
While the A's get no compensation in the form of a draft pick, Murray will have to return the bulk of his $4.66 million signing bonus. The quarterback will return $1.29 million of the $1.5 million he already has received. He also forfeits $3.1 million due March 1.
The A's knew the risk they were taking by drafting Murray back in June. They allowed him to play one more season of football as the successor to the previous year's Heisman Trophy winner in Baker Mayfield with the hope of him focusing solely on baseball shortly after the season. That gamble backfired, but like Beane, Forst said the A's felt the supreme talent on the diamond outweighed the risk.
"We took the best athlete on the board and what we thought was the best player on the board," Forst said. "We don't regret the pick at all.
"We'll make up for it. We have a first round pick this year and a lot of guys we picked last year that we liked. You never like to lose a first-round pick or the opportunity that comes with it, but we like the shape our system is in."
