2020 NFL Draft: Jalen Hurts Scouting Report
By John Newman
Jalen Hurts has declared for the 2020 NFL Draft. In this scouting report, we look at his Quarterback Mechanics and see what NFL teams he would best fit in.
Motivational stories can be found up and down the corridors of college football. But no story has been more public the last two seasons than Jalen Hurts, the former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback that transferred to the Oklahoma Sooners. Now, Hurts is entering the 2020 NFL Draft and multiple teams will be looking at the young quarterback to see if he can be the spark to get them moving.
For those who don’t know, Alabama coach Nick Saban pulled Hurts from the 2018 National Championship game, after Hurts had led the team all season. Down 13-0 at halftime, Saban opted to put freshman Tua Tagovailoa in the game. Tua won the game and Coach Saban decided to stick with Tua going into the next season. Hurts stayed for one more season but once it became clear he would likely have to enter the draft as a backup, Hurts entered the transfer portal.
This past offseason Hurts transferred to Oklahoma and has led the Sooners back to the playoffs. To go from being benched in the biggest game in college football to the leader of the Sooners offense back in the playoffs is a classic comeback story for Hurts. It takes a certain level of self-determination to thrive in the upper echelon of college football. To do it for two different teams is remarkable.
In the 2020 NFL Draft, Hurts will have the unique privilege of having played for two of the most exciting coaches in the NCAA: Lincoln Riley of Oklahoma and Nick Saban from Alabama. Coaches and General Managers in the NFL will be watching this year’s College Playoffs closely to see if Hurts is worth taking a chance on.
Will the fact that Saban was so willing to take him out of a National Championship game for a freshman quarterback hurt the young quarterback or will Hurts’ success in Oklahoma prompt NFL scouts to give him a closer look?
In this scouting report, I’ll review Hurts time playing for both Alabama and Oklahoma. Reviewing his statistics and film, I will attempt to show the pros and cons of his quarterbacking abilities, along with insights from watching his technique across two seasons.
Afterward, I’ll explore some of the teams that could be interested in Hurts during the 2020 NFL Draft. Will Hurts be drafted in the first round and start for an NFL team in 2020? Or is he more of a day two candidate that NFL teams need to develop at the next level?