The Eagles selecting Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft took everyone by surprise. With a number of obvious needs on both sides of the ball, using your second-round pick on a backup quarterback seemed like an odd choice. Everyone knows the Eagles value the backup quarterback position more than just about any other team, but the second round?
As it turns out, there is a bit more to this pick. As some speculated shortly after the pick was announced, the Eagles see Jalen Hurts as more than just a traditional quarterback. They view him as a weapon, one that they will be able to see on the field in his first year.
The immediate comparison is Saints quarterback Taysom Hill. Eagles head coach Doug Pederson acknowledged the similarities in a quickie press conference after the pick was announced:
DOUG PEDERSON: With Jalen Hurts, he has a unique skill set. You see what Taysom Hill has done in New Orleans and now he and [Saints QB] Drew Brees have a connection there and a bond there, and you even look at — when [Joe] Flacco and [Ravens QB] Lamar [Jackson] in Baltimore for 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 that Jalen Hurts is a good quarterback, and he was drafted as a quarterback and he’s a quarterback first, but he has a unique skill set that 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 we keep developing this off-season and this advancement, so to speak, as we get ready for training camp.
As the weekend came to a close and draft grades started to trickle in, the Taysom Hill comparisons continued. One source familiar with the Eagles’ draft evaluations told Charles Robinson on Yahoo Sports that the team envisions a “Taysom Hill [package] on steroids” for their new quarterback.
In an interview with Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman spoke about the Jalen Hurts pick. He began by reiterating that the team remains married to Carson Wentz as their starter and is not looking for his replacement. Then, after briefly discussing that the team wanted to draft BOTH Nick Foles and Russell Wilson back-to-back in the 2012 draft (!!!), he spoke about Hurts. Roseman’s explanation was just that the team values the position and that Hurts wouldn’t have been there in the third round, so they pulled the trigger.
Shortly after this interview was released, Garafolo went on NFL Network to elaborate on his conversation with Roseman. He adds that Hurts will be on the field this season. And while the comparison has been Taysom Hill, Hurts will have his own unique role (more on that later). And for one last fun nugget, Garafalo adds that he has spoken to an Eagles source who thinks Hurts could contribute as a straight running back:
Interesting. It’s still only April, but the prediction here is that the Eagles dress three quarterbacks on game day and gameplan touches for Jalen Hurts. Let’s get weird.
What does a “Taysom Hill on steroids” package mean?
The Jalen Hurts-Taysom Hill comparisons come from the fact that the Saints deploy Hill as a triple-threat on offense. He lines up at running back, quarterback, wide receiver, and a few other creative positions. He throws passes, runs the ball, and runs routes and catches passes. Hill even plays on special teams. His unique skill set means that opposing defenses have to prepare for one of the league’s most meticulous passers in Drew Brees and a wild card like Hill.
As Garafolo alluded, a Jalen Hurts package would be slightly different. Let’s start by taking a look at Taysom Hill’s career:
There’s a lot going on there, but the main takeaway is that he saw 52 touches in 2019. 27 rushes, 19 receptions, six pass attempts. He averaged 5.8 YPA on the ground and caught six touchdown passes. As a passer, there’s not a whole lot to be excited about. The main thing about him as a passer is that the threat of him throwing tends to open things up for him and the offense.
The reason that Jalen Hurts could be part of a “Taysom Hill on steroids” package is that he is a better prospect than Hill. Hill joined the league as an undrafted 27-year-old. In three seasons in the NFL, he has attempted just 13 passes. He’s a great story. He’s a weapon on offense, but he’s more gadget player than quarterback. That’s why he just re-signed with the Saints and was unsurprised that the Saints signed quarterback Jameis Winston shortly thereafter.
Hurts, on the other hand, was likely to be drafted either late in the second round or sometime in the third round. He’s a quarterback who can run, as opposed to an athlete who can throw a little. That’s what makes the Eagles’ potential package for Hurts so interesting. While he needs further development as a quarterback, he will have to be respected as a passer and a runner when he is on the field.
That’s why, when you listen to Howie Roseman and Doug Pederson talk about Jalen Hurts, they don’t sound like a team that just drafted Taysom Hill. They think they drafted Dak Prescott.
