Oklahoma’s former quarterback Jalen Hurts was drafted premature of his projection, and the Philadelphia Eagles surprisingly selected him with the 53rd pick in the NFL Draft, which was contrary to their projected team needs entering the draft.
This pick is surprising because the Eagles have a substantial 27-year old quarterback leading the offense already, so on paper, it doesn’t seem like the Eagles need to address a backup QB role. Looking deeper, Wentz’s game has lacked since winning MVP in 2017, and he’s been hampered by injuries. Maybe the Eagles made this selection for insurance, just in case Wentz goes down with another injury.
Hurts had a dominant season at Oklahoma as he threw for 3,851 yards and 32 touchdowns but that’s not all he can do. Hurts was a dual-threat, rushing for 1,298 yards for 20 touchdowns. He also caught 2 passes for 25 yards and a touchdown in his lone season at OU.
What does this mean? Hurts isn’t a threat to Wentz’s starting position (barring a Wentz injury). Truth be told, Hurts isn’t ready to be a starting quarterback in the NFL, but he doesn’t have to be. Eagles head coach Doug Pederson can be creative and utilize Hurts in multiple different ways, and in the meantime, groom him to be a top-tier backup quarterback.
The Eagles still have problems to address. Their first-round pick Jalen Reagor will aid in the void at wide receiver, but another receiver would better strengthen a weak core. They also struggle from the cornerback and linebacker position, so expect them to be aggressive in their ensuing picks to address those holes.
Whether it makes sense to you or not, the Eagles got a gem in Hurts. He’s not your traditional quarterback, and he’s not expected to be a Pro Bowl quarterback, but he’ll be very productive for the Eagles, and in the NFL for a long time.
