Through two days of the 2020 NFL Draft, we had some surprising selections and some home-run picks in a nearly seamless, virtual event. Teams such as the Dolphins and Bengals tried to build for the future. While others like the Buccaneers and Ravens added to already talented teams in hopes to take that next step towards a Lombardi Trophy in 2020. The NFL Draft is the start of something special and a time of hope and resurgence for teams, as well as players entering the league next season. Â
One of the teams looking to their immediate future and getting back to the playoffs is the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles only had two picks on the second day of the draft and turned some heads with their selections. The process can be unnerving for the players getting picked, but also for the veterans that could be on the outs.Â
And those nerves may have reached a peak with quarterback Carson Wentz in the City of Brotherly Love. Below, I will take a look at the team’s most surprising selection from the draft’s second day and break down what it means for the Wentz and the Eagles as they move forward into the 2020 NFL season. Â
Round 2, Pick 53: Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma
Following the first day of the 2020 NFL Draft and the Green Bay Packers’ selection of Utah State’s Jordan Love, some question marks were surrounding the quarterback position and when the next signal-caller would come off the board. Washington’s Jacob Eason and Georgia’s Jake Fromm were big names during the college season, but it was Oklahoma’s Heisman candidate Jalen Hurts that got the call.Â
With the 53rd pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected Oklahoma quarterback, Jalen Hurts. And with this selection, shockwaves were sent through the city of Philadelphia and the entire Eagles fan base. Undoubtedly, Philadelphia fans were in shock, as were players around the NFL, including the NFC East.
NFC east lit 😂 @JalenHurts
— Dwayne Haskins, Jr🌹 (@dh_simba7)
How did Hurts become a top quarterback option?
For Hurts, he took a tremendous step forward in 2019 as a passer and quarterback prospect overall. Before this past season, the former Alabama transfer looked closer to a day-three prospect than the fifth quarterback off the board. He proved to be a legitimate dual-threat as a thrower and runner on his way to 3,851 passing yards and 1,298 yards on the ground.Â
He finished in the top-three for the Heisman Trophy and transformed himself into a legitimate quarterback prospect for the 2020 NFL Draft. The Eagles’ decision to choose Hurts in the second round could either be a slight change in offensive philosophy or a full-blown changing of the guard in short order at the quarterback position.
For the incumbent Wentz, the selection of Hurts may be a bit of a head-scratcher on the surface. However, Hurts makes a ton of sense both in the short and long-term of this football team. And to his credit, the current Philly starter took the high road and welcomed Hurts through Twitter on Friday night.Â
Welcome to the best football city in America brotha! https://t.co/CKAMNLO7mb
— Carson Wentz (@cj_wentz)
When healthy, Wentz has been able to carry the team on his back, but that health has been a significant question mark in recent years. Philadelphia’s Super Bowl win with former backup Nick Foles is well-documented in sports history, and the team could be preparing for a similar scenario down the line with Hurts. Hurts himself is familiar with the script, as he watched former teammate Tua Tagovailoa replace him and win the 2018 National Championship for the Crimson Tide.
Hurts’ impact in Philadelphia going forward
In the short-term, Hurts should be one of the better backup quarterback options in the league and valuable insurance in the event another Wentz injury pops up. However, the team could also find a way to incorporate Hurts into the offense regularly as a slash player, ala what the Saints have done with Tayson Hill and similar to the way the Steelers used Kordell Stewart. With new fellow draft pick Jalen Reager, Hurts could have a huge impact right away and add an extremely explosive component to this Philadelphia offense and help the team get back to the playoffs in 2020.Â
When it comes to the long-term future of this team, the decision to choose Hurts on Friday night certainly casts some doubt surrounding Wentz’s future with the Eagles. If Hurts can have a big impact during his first few years in Philadelphia, he could give them another option as the starting quarterback of the Eagles moving forward.
Before the 2019 season, the team did sign Wentz to a monster four-year extension worth up to $154 million, with $107 million guaranteed. One thing is for sure; things are going to be very interesting in Philadelphia over the next few months and years as the dust settles from the 2020 NFL Draft.Â
Scott Gorman is a writer for PFN covering the 2021 NFL Draft. You can follow him at @sgormanPFN on Twitter.
Well said, Allen. And you brought up some excellent points that maybe some others haven’t even contemplated yet. Such as the potential lengthened season and the possibility or using him as trade bait later on, as they have done successfully in the past. To me, it is a great pick for the reasons that each of us mentioned and I think Philadelphia fans should feel great comfort in knowing that the most important position on their football team is absolutely covered now. Both in the short term and quite possibly the long term as well.
The Hurts pick is definitely a head scratcher, but nobody knows better than the Eagles the importance of having a good backup QB. Go back to Buddy Ryan’s Eagles. They should have won a Super Bowl back in the late 80’s. They had arguably the best defense in history. Randall Cunningham went down, and we saw no-names like Brad Goebel and Jeff Kemp lose games for the Birds.
Fast forward to today. The Eagles have ended three seasons in a row with a backup QB on the field. Fortunately, the Eagles had a good one in Nick Foles and won a Super Bowl in 2017.
Here’s why Jalen Hurts is a good pick.
While everyone else was thinking about surviving the Coronavirus, the Eagles saw their path to the Super Bowl grow longer. The new CBA requires teams play an extra regular season game, and only one bye per conference means that you are playing a wildcard game if you expect to get to the Super Bowl. The Eagles are making sure they have the most important position on the field covered for two extra games a year. Consider the Steelers last season. They had the best defense in the league, but once Big Ben went down their offense was a disaster. The league’s best defense didn’t even make the playoffs.
The Eagles don’t think this pick has to waste away on the bench. They will use Hurts as a weapon immediately. He’ll run the wildcat. He’ll run RPOs. He’ll throw the ball. He’ll take a handoff. He’ll line up in the slot. He will be the new Slash. He can be more than Taysom Hill. He is another weapon that makes the Eagles offense better.
The Eagles have a pro bowl QB on a big contract. They cannot afford to pay a backup big money and build a team. Hurts is here for four years and $6M. The Eagles can’t get Cam Newton, Andy Dalton or Jameis Winston on a four year $6M contract. Hurts is an affordable backup QB who is a legitimate starter.
Finally, Hurts has talent, and his college resume demonstrates he can lead multiple teams at a high level. He is in the Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, DeShaun Watson multidimensional mold. He might be the QB of the future. He might be the future of QB in the NFL. He might tease other teams enough to trade a first rounder and other picks for him while having already made a good contribution to the Eagles.
The Eagles had other needs, and legitimate starters at corner, safety and linebacker were on the board when Hurts was chosen. This was not a bad pick. It was a wise investment at the most important position in football. Apparently very few understand this more than the Eagles.