Jalen Hurts drawing lofty comparisons

The search for the suitable NFL comparison for Jalen Hurts is a winding street.

He will not be forced to move to wide receiver — like converted higher education quarterbacks Brad Smith, Antwaan Randle El and Julian Edelman. He is a additional accurate passer and additional risky runner than to start with-spherical draft bust Tim Tebow. He doesn’t quite measure up in possibly twin-danger aspect to reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.

The six-foot-one, 222-pound Hurts, who transferred just after 3 yrs at Alabama, will be the third Oklahoma quarterback drafted in as lots of yrs, but he will not stick to the lead of back-to-back No. one-total picks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. His path could go the way of do-it-all Taysom Hill or even Dak Prescott.

“Taysom Hill is regarded as the quarterback of the potential in New Orleans,” ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. explained. “Let’s comprehend what he’s finished since he arrived out of BYU. Hurts can be a contributor as a rookie with those people [Hill] styles of deals that you can set in there. Regardless of who he goes to, you can have a great starter and still use Hurts in deals.”

In addition to spelling Drew Brees in particular built conditions, Hill variables in particular teams, functioning back and wide receiver. He is a quarterback-in-training without the need of becoming glued to the bench mainly because his athleticism is far too fantastic to squander.

Jalen Hurts
Jalen HurtsAP

Kiper believes Hurts’ projected versatility — seems befitting of the Patriots, suitable? — elevates his draft stock into the late second or early third spherical, in excess of additional regular backups like Georgia’s Jake Fromm.

Texas Tech mentor Matt Wells noticed the very same defining trait in Hurts at the two educational institutions.

“He possesses a ton of swag and a vibe that authorized the other ten guys about him to engage in assured, to engage in cost-free, to engage in to the best of their means,” Wells explained to The Publish. “Because there was a tremendous self-confidence that [uniform] No. one was the gentleman.”

Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy is a former NFL scout who the moment projected Hurts as an NFL functioning back. But his view improved in excess of the previous two seasons, and when Hurts returned to Alabama for the Senior Bowl.

“He had a fantastic 7 days down in this article, and he threw it improved than I have at any time witnessed him toss it at the combine in terms of command and self-confidence,” Nagy explained to The Publish. “He is ascending as a quarterback, he has great leadership expertise and he is wired in another way now — laser-centered and all-company. I’d compare him to Dak Prescott.”

The fourth-spherical draft steal? The 2016 Offensive Rookie of the Calendar year and two-time Pro Bowler? The $33 million-for every-calendar year QB?

“People questioned Dak coming out of higher education from a passing standpoint, and where by Jalen is at he has in all probability even surpassed Dak then,” Nagy explained. “I don’t see Jalen functioning down on punt and kickoff team. Now, if you had an open-minded, imaginative engage in-caller and he needed to perform Jalen into some roles suitable away, he’s athletic more than enough to do that.”

The strong Hurts was 38-four as a higher education starter, transferring from Alabama just after shedding his job to projected top-5 pick Tua Tagovailoa. Hurts threw for nine,477 yards and rushed for 3,274 additional, accounting for 123 touchdowns and completing 65.one % of his passes with just 20 interceptions.

Two yrs just after Jackson foolishly was questioned to perform out at receiver, Hurts wasn’t questioned by any teams at the combine to modify positions. But there are knocks on his decision-earning and swift impulse to flee the pocket and hazard damage.

“People say there are issues [Hurts] requires to tweak, and he holds the ball,” Kiper explained. “Bottom line is this kid made and he is a great kid. He can go back to two big-time educational institutions and be revered mainly because of what he’s intended to those people courses.”