A certain Oklahoma quarterback isn’t the only college football player who has a stick-and-ball decision staring him straight in the face.
Kyler Murray, projected to be the Sooners’ starter under center in 2018, was selected ninth overall by the Oakland Athletics in the Major League Baseball draft Monday evening. Eight selections later, Jordyn Adams was taken with the No. 17 pick of the first round by the Los Angeles Angels.
Adams was a four-star member of North Carolina’s 2018 football recruiting class, rated as the No. 8 wide receiver in the country. Only one signee in the Tar Heels’ class this year, offensive tackle William Barnes, was rated higher than Adams, who also happens to be the son of UNC defensive line coach Deke Adams.
As the 17th overall pick, Adams could be in line for a contract that would pay him in the neighborhood of $3.5 million. He could sign a contract with the Angels and still play college football for the Tar Heels.
There’s also the possibility that Adams fails to sign with the Angels and embarks on his collegiate football career while also playing for the university’s baseball team. If he doesn’t sign with the Angels, he would not be eligible to be a part of the MLB draft pool again until 2020.
For their part, however, the major league club is confident the pick will opt for baseball.
“We’re fully expecting him to sign and play baseball,” Angels’ scouting director Matt Swanson told the Orange County Register.