2020 NFL Draft: Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts scouting report
By Ian Higgins
Physical Evaluation
When looking at Hurts’ tape, the only player comparison I could think of was Cam Newton in Lamar Jackson’s body. At 6-foot-2, 218 pounds, Hurts is the same height and only six pounds heavier than Jackson. This size allows for more maneuverability within the pocket instead of having to muscle off would-be tacklers (reliant upon good footwork, which he currently does not possess).
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His long strides in open field and physical running style (for a quarterback) with enough elusiveness to shed defenders makes him very similar to Newton in the running game. Oklahoma has given Hurts more than enough designed rushes to show the NFL he is fully capable of commanding a modern run-first offense at the next level.
The 2018 Baltimore Ravens showed this as a viable dimension to their offense, and now with a good mix of their previous offense and a more traditional passing offense, have become offensively reliable.
The few times Hurts did stand in the pocket around the rush, he looked confident and strong. This bodes well to his possible development, but it will take time to break his old habits. Under a weak offensive line, he will likely continue to scramble out to the flats and extend plays with his legs. But if Hurts is able to play his early years with a solid offensive line, he could grow out of these bad habits and become more comfortable with pressure on top of him in the pocket.
Hurts commonly does extend plays with his speed and agility out towards the boundaries, and it has worked so far. At the college level, he has been able to outrun much of his competition and has not dealt with the kind of containment he will see at the NFL level. Professional linebackers and pass rushers will be looking for this rollout, encouraging containment rushes on the outside and inside linebackers will be looking for this opportunity to get a good hit in the open field.
Physically, Hurts is a gifted athlete with more than enough tools at his disposal to be successful, but these gifts have also enabled him to develop the bad habits that were covered in the mental section of this scouting report.