On Friday evening, the second and third rounds of the NFL draft came and went. After the conclusion of the draft, there was one draft pick that stood out more than any other. In the second round, the Philadelphia Eagles shocked the NFL world by drafting quarterback Jalen Hurts. After failing to grab CeeDee Lamb in round one, Eagles fans are taking to social media to air their frustrations. In addition, two-time champion Torrey Smith didn’t do much to make Eagles fans feel better. Smith tweeted, “Stop saying Jalen Hurts is Taysom Hill. He is a true QB. No disrespect.” So, where does Jalen Hurts really fit with this team? This is the same team that chose Carson Wentz to be the franchise QB in place of Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles. In this article we will be evaluating Jalen Hurts on the Philadelphia Eagles.
Evaluating Jalen Hurts To The Philadelphia Eagles
Hurts’ Crazy College Ride
Before becoming the 53rd pick in the draft, Hurts had an up and down college career. During his freshman season, his team won the national championship. Hurts had a great season and showed off great running ability (954 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground). In his second season, his passing yards took a dip but he still had a 17-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio. In the national championship game, Hurts was playing poorly and was benched for this year’s fifth-overall pick Tua Tagovailoa. After winning on the shoulders of Tagovailoa, Hurts was sent to the bench for most of his junior season. While Tagovailoa played like a Heisman candidate that year, Hurts only threw 70 times but did help his team win the SEC championship against Georgia while playing for the injured Tagovailoa.
Before his senior season, Hurts transferred to the University of Oklahoma and became a household name amongst fans. His passing stats were among the best in the country with 3851 passing yards, 32 touchdowns, and only 8 picks. He also averaged 11.3 yards per attempt which is more than any NFL QB did in 2019. His ability to run with the ball is what drew NFL scouts to him, and earned him a Russell Wilson comparison. And with stats of 1298 yards and 20 scores, it’s hard not to get it.
What Will Hurts Do In Philadelphia?
When evaluating Hurts, it’s hard to say what his role will be in his rookie season. Coming into the draft, his accuracy and scrambling ability were his biggest strengths. Wentz has theoretically locked up the week one starting gig. Therefore, throwing a lot of passes isn’t something we’re likely to see very much barring injury or Wentz struggling. Although we could see Hurts throw some to trick defenses, it’s likely not what Doug Pederson will choose to do with him. One thing for certain is Hurts is more unlikely to ride the bench all year than he is to throw 50 passes. The Eagles GM Howie Roseman is known as one of the better team builders in the league and he wouldn’t have used the 53rd pick on Hurts if he didn’t have plans for him.
The most likely role for Hurts in 2020 will be to play the Taysom Hill role of a gadget player, despite what Torrey Smith believes. The New Orleans Saints have had a ton of success with Hill, and the NFL is a copycat league after all. At the NFL combine, Hurts put up a 4.59 time in the 40-yard dash. When watching his highlights, being able to make trick plays using him comes to mind. Doug Pederson said Saturday that Hurts “Has a unique set of skills”. Along with his incredible speed for a QB, Hurts has a beautiful deep ball as well. The amount of trick plays Pederson will be able to draw up should have Eagles fans salivating.
Eagles Fans Should Enjoy The Pick
Nobody knows what Hurts is going to do. He could be the next Taysom Hill or be better or worse than Hill. In the worst-case scenario that Hurts doesn’t play as well as Hill, having him on the roster makes the Eagles better. We’ve seen in the past how much trouble an NFL team can be in if they don’t have a solid backup QB. In fact, it can quite literally sink your season. The Eagles themselves have been evidence of this being true. So at the very least, Hurts could keep the team afloat if called upon. And considering the health history of Wentz, it’s not a bad idea to have someone ready in the wings. After evaluating Jalen Hurts, Eagles fans should enjoy the pick and whatever comes along with him being on their roster.
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