The No. 3 running back in the country (per the 247Sports Composite), Jerrion Ealy, is committed to Ole Miss in the 2019 recruiting class.

But his recent ranking by Perfect Game shows he’s in line for quite the payday when he graduates next summer, and may have a costly decision to make.

Ealy’s a really good football player, but he might be an even better baseball player. He’s committed for both baseball and football to Ole Miss. But there’s a high likelihood he chooses to play pro baseball instead of college anything.

As of now, Ealy has said all the right things and has been adamant about recruiting for football as if he will be on the field for [Matt] Luke next season, but if he goes in the first round of the MLB Draft next season, I find it hard to believe that he makes it to Oxford.

In Perfect Game’s most recent rankings of high school ball players, Ealy’s dropped to fourth. But the point still stands he might very well be drafted by some team right out of high school in the first round. If he’s taken even in the middle of the first round his slotted deal would include an immediate signing bonus of around $5 million.

He’s the latest really good football player to make this decision. Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray was drafted 12th in this year’s Major League Draft, but will play this season out at OU. Four-star WR Jordyn Adams signed with UNC last December, and then bounced when the Angels drafted him 17th. Baseball’s got the guaranteed money and much less risk that college football can’t compete with.

It remains to be seen where Ealy’s heart lies, but if he stays on this projection on the baseball field a pro club is going to dangle a lot of money to keep him out of Oxford.