The Eagles had the most surprising pick of last night’s portion of the draft, selecting Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts with the No. 53 pick. While Eagles fans were rooting for something other than a backup to Carson Wentz, it sounds like Hurts could be doing more than holding a clipboard during his rookie year.
Head coach Doug Pederson told reports that the Eagles will explore using Hurts similarly to how the Saints use quarterback Taysom Hill.
“I think this player, obviously with Jalen Hurts, he has a unique skillset and you see what Taysom Hill has done in New Orleans,” Pederson said (via Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia). “And now he and Drew Brees have a connection there and a bond there. You look at with (Joe) Flacco and Lamar (Jackson) in Baltimore in the short period of time, how they gelled together. It’s just something we’re going to explore.
“I want to make a point here: First and foremost, Jalen Hurts is a good quarterback. He was drafted as a quarterback and he was a quarterback first. But he has a unique skillset. He’s a great runner, obviously. He throws well on the run. He has a unique set of skills that we’re going to take a look at as well as we keep developing this offseason and this advancement as we get ready for training camp.”
Hurts has the talent in the open field to match Hill’s seven total touchdowns from 2019. During his lone season at Oklahoma, Hurts ran for 1,298 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on 233 carries. He also had five receptions during his collegiate career, including two for 25 yards and a score during the 2019 campaign.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport also provided some insight into the Eagles’ thinking with the pick. Garafolo notes that while fans may be clamoring for help at other positions, this selection may actually help in that pursuit. Instead of spending significant money on a backup for the injury-prone Wentz, the team now has the ability to trust their inexpensive second quarterback. This vicariously allows the organization to go out and spend money elsewhere.
Further, while fans may want a player with more upside than Taysom Hill in the second round, Rapoport notes that the comparison implies the best-case scenario for the Eagles. If Hurts indeed turns into a Swiss Army Knife on offense, that means Wentz managed to stay healthy and/or have playoff success. Alternative scenarios see Hurts emerging as a starter in place of an injured Wentz or the Eagles dealing Hurts down the road (à la Patriots and Jimmy Garoppolo).
I’m not a fan of the cherry pop tarts
The cinnamon and brown sugar ones don’t taste that good.
same here.
strawberry or cinnamon all day.
I woke up Sunday morning
With no way to hold my head that didn’t hurt
The beer I had for breakfast wasn’t bad
So I had one more for dessert
Cherry flavored anything is almost never as good as actual cherries are. Blueberry all day.
it’s best to treat a lot of things like oreos….hold them under milk til the bubbles stop
Yes. But no microwave or toaster.
Hot fudge sundae
Good point.
S’mores was my jam
Your all messed up! Great move my Philly Wentz injury prone.
PHILLY SPECIAL
Wentz will be a cap casualty in 2023 w a 36M hit vs a 15M dead cap if he doesnt make it to the NFC championship game by then. If he gets there at least, they probably stick with him and restructure or extend and Hurts was a pointless pick.
They should have drafted Fromm or Anthony Gordon between round 4 and 7.
Hurts made the most sense for several other clubs, he will waste away in Philly. Yes Carson will get hurt, and he will play like 2 or 3 games a year. Still will be a waste. He could have been in line to be a starter elsewhere. Or at least had a legitimate chance to be.
There was another quarterback a couple years ago drafted that raise some eyebrows and everyone thought he would be used as a gadget quarterback like with the Saints do with Hill. That guy? Lamar Jackson
Hunt isn’t anywhere near Lamar
Hurts actually had arguably better numbers than Jackson in college. Hurts had a 70% completion percentage, 3,851 yards, 32 TDs, 8 INT with 1,300 yards and 20 TDs rushing in his final season.
Jackson’s: 59%, 3,660, 27 TDs, 10 INT with 1600 yards and 18 TDs rushing.
Might be a step off as a rusher, but he’s more accurate than Jackson.
Wentz is much better and younger than Flacco in 2018
what are you talking about? Lamar was a guy many felt fell in the 1st round and went to a team with a declining qb. There were not eyebrows raised.
hé didn’t go to a team with a young qb although with injury concerns.
I don’t hate the pick but comparing to Lamar isn’t quite the same.
Jackson was originally an Eagles pick…lol.
once again I like this move. Hurts is no Lamar but he’s also much better than Hill. use him as RB and to mix things up in year one and then see id you can flip him. Wentz’s injuries make a backup of Hurts’s caliber quite useful as well.