Former Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts finished his collegiate career with one successful season at the University of Oklahoma before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft.
Beginning his rookie season as a backup to Carson Wentz, Hurts did not see much action, even though Eagles fans were practically begging for a change to be made at quarterback.
Were the pleas to have Hurts be the team’s new starting quarterback or just to have someone other than Wentz under center?
While the original intent may have been to just banish Wentz to the sidelines, fans gained a taste of Hurts and then could not get enough.
In four games as a starter, Hurts went 1-3, though the losing record does not accurately capture his performance.
He finished his rookie season with 52% completion for 1,061 yards, 6 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He also rushed for 354 yards and three touchdowns.
Now, just a few weeks into the 2021 offseason, Hurts has been given the keys to the franchise. Or so it seems.
Wentz, who has been the team’s starting quarterback since 2016 and helped the Eagles win a Super Bowl, has been traded to the Indianapolis Colts.
With no clear competition on the Eagles roster, Hurts appears to be the franchise’s starting quarterback.
This is surely a scenario Hurts and his fans have hoped for. However, Philadelphia has the No. 6 overall selection in the 2020 NFL draft, which has plenty of quarterback talent. Could the Eagles look to draft one?
Currently in mock drafts, the Eagles are tied to wide receivers or cornerbacks, but that doesn’t mean they will not draft a quarterback.
The quarterback rankings following Trevor Lawrence at No. 1 overall are wide open. Plus, there’s a possibility the Eagles utilize their newly-acquired draft capital to move up even higher than No. 6.
It’s far too early to tell what the Eagles front office will do when it comes time to draft. So, for now, Jalen Hurts is the presumed starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles.