Arizona Cardinals make Kyler Murray No.1 NFL draft pick
The Arizona Cardinals made Heisman Trophy-winning Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray the No.1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft on Thursday night in Nashville.
Murray's selection is historic in a number of ways, becoming the first person ever to be a first-round pick in both the Major League Baseball and NFL drafts, after the Oakland Athletics drafted him ninth overall last summer.
Murray pledged to pay back his $4.66 million (A$6.64m) signing bonus to the A's when announcing in February that he would be committed to football full-time moving forward.
"I pride myself on being different, doing different things," Murray said from the red carpet before the draft, referring to the expected two-sport milestone.
Kyler Murray with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. AAP
At 5-foot-10, Murray is the first quarterback under six feet tall to be taken in the first round since Johnny Manziel in 2014.
Murray threw for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns with seven interceptions last year while leading Oklahoma to the College Football Playoff. He also rushed for 1,001 yards and 12 touchdowns.
After former teammate and Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield went first overall last year to the Cleveland Browns, Murray's selection marks the first time since 1968-69 that the top pick in back-to-back years came from the same school.
"I talk to Bake a lot," Murray said of Mayfield.
"He's a close friend of mine. Getting advice from him has definitely been helpful."
