Oklahoma's Riley on QB Murray: Height 'never an issue'

Reuters
FILE PHOTO: Dec 29, 2018; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Kyler Murray (1) throws against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the fourth quarter of the 2018 Orange Bowl college football playoff semifinal game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray is likely to be one of the most divisive prospects in the NFL Draft, mixing electric Heisman-winning talent in a package that is usually considered too short for league standards. Murray, who was listed as 5-foot-10 by Oklahoma, will get an official measurement when he attends the NFL Combine in Indianapolis later this month. Sooners coach Lincoln Riley, in an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Thursday, related what he tells scouts about how Murray's height would affect his playmaking in the NFL. "Oh, I think it's just talking about how we used him and how between having Baker (Mayfield) and Kyler here, (there wasn't) a scenario where we said, ‘Well, we're not going to run this play or not going to run that play or not going to protect this or that because these guys are 5-10 and 6-foot instead of 6-4,'" Riley said. "I mean, it's just never come into the equation with us, and we do quite a bit with those guys." Mayfield measured at 6 feet, 5/8 inches at the 2018 Combine before becoming the first pick in the NFL Draft. He threw for 3,725 yards, with 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, in his rookie season with the Cleveland Browns. "I think Kyler is like Baker in that he is short. He's been short all his life. He's learned to deal with it. It's not a factor for him," Riley said. "We had an NFL-sized offensive line, played against a lot of really, really good defensive lines. The guy, I think, had four or five batted-down passes the whole season. It's just not as much of a factor as people would think it is. "We got to live that for really the last four years, playing with what guys would consider short ... and it was never an issue for us." Murray, a first-round pick of the Oakland A's (No. 9 overall) in June's MLB draft, announced Monday that he is giving up baseball to pursue his NFL dreams. Last season at Oklahoma, Murray guided the Sooners to a 12-2 record, an appearance in the College Football Playoff and a No. 4 final ranking. The redshirt junior passed for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns, as well as rushing for 1,001 yards and 12 more scores. He led the nation in total yards, points responsible for, yards per pass attempt and yards per completion. --Field Level Media