Jalen Hurts is not feeling the love. A year after landing just outside the top five, the Eagles star has dropped tremendously in an ESPN ranking of the top ten quarterbacks in the NFL by executives, coaches, and scouts.
Voters provide their best 10 players at a position, then we compile the results and rank candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average and dozens of interviews, with research and film study help from ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen. In total, nearly 80 voters submitted a ballot on at least one position, and in many cases all positions. Additional voting and follow-up calls with those surveyed help us break any ties.
Hurts earned honorable mentions this summer, landing behind Aaron Rodgers, Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, Jordan Love, and Brock Purdy, among others.
After a Year 3 star turn that garnered a Super Bowl appearance and a $255 million contract, Hurts’ play dipped in 2023. His QBR ranking fell from fourth (68.3) to 12th (60.1). His 15 interceptions were so uncharacteristic that the total nearly matched that of his first three years combined (18). A knee injury that he tried his best to manage clearly affected him, according to several evaluators.
“He was playing hurt,” an NFC executive said. “The Eagles tried to downplay that, but he didn’t look right. He wasn’t the same runner he was in the past, and passing the ball was tough for him.” Added an AFC scout: “He’ll always be in that 7-12 range, depending on how productive he is each year.”
The turnovers were a significant problem, but Hurts was still stout during the 2023 season.
In 17 regular season games, Hurts completed 65.4 percent of his passes for 3,858 yards and a career-high 23 touchdowns. He also added 15 rushing touchdowns, setting a new NFL record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single season, matching Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
Hurts also broke multiple franchise records – establishing team records in total yards (4,463) and total touchdowns (38) while finishing second in the league in total scores behind Allen (42).