Name: Jalen Hurts
Position: Quarterback
College: Oklahoma
Class: Senior
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 218 lbs
Draft Grade: late third round
Draft Projection: third to fifth round
Scout Talk: Oklahoma Quarterback Jalen Hurts
Athletic Ability
Jalen Hurts is a dynamic player with the ball in his hands and runs with a tremendous amount of power. He has phenomenal scrambling ability and extends the play with his legs when it breaks down.
Competitiveness
Hurts was an Alabama transfer who could have left earlier but decided to stay and back up Tua Tagovailoa. This eventually led to his late-game heroics during the 2018 SEC Championship. He has a knack for knowing where the first down/goal line marker is. He also shows the ability to take over a game and raise the level of play for those around him.
Mental Alertness
When watching film, it doesn’t seem that Hurts has learned how to see the entire field. He doesn’t work through his progressions and he’s quick to take off if the first option isn’t available. His decision-making under duress is sub-par, which makes me question what will happen when he isn’t playing with first-tier offensive lines.
Strength/Explosion
Jalen has proven to be a durable player. He often looks like a fullback running the ball. He has the ideal frame for a dual-threat quarterback to take the hits while on the move and also stand tall in the pocket.
Position Skill
Hurts has decent general accuracy on short and intermediate throws, but his ball placement is questionable. He’ll need to work on hitting his target in stride. Jalen has shown improvement with his downfield accuracy, but there’s still a lot to be desired. He shows decent pocket awareness but fails to keep eyes downfield. Average mechanics but has developed a hitch in his throw that leads to spells of inaccuracy.
Overall
Hurts’ move to Oklahoma has proven to be the right one. His play has given Lincoln Riley a legitimate chance at producing back-to-back-to-back Heisman Trophy winners. His draft stock has certainly risen over the course of the 2019 season. Hurts currently grades out to be an end of the third round prospect. While he is exciting to watch, his ability to throw the ball comes with some limitations that can be hidden by an Air Raid system. I expect teams will target Jalen late on day two of the draft as a developmental project. In the right system, Hurts can have a limited package based on what he can do now, while still learning from a veteran and develop into a starting-caliber Quarterback. Similar to what the New Orleans Saints are trying to do with Taysom Hill.
