The future is now for Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia. The Eagles traded former incumbent QB Carson Wentz to the Colts for a couple of draft picks a few weeks back. This move paves the way for Hurts, the former Alabama-Oklahoma star, to win the starting quarterback job.
The Eagles may have just signed veteran QB Joe Flacco to a one-year deal, but the Eagles management has mentioned that Hurts is still the projected starter for the 2021 NFL season (espn.com). Flacco brings 13 years of pro experience and a 2012 Super Bowl ring to the Eagles QB room and will provide valuable knowledge to a young coachable QB like Hurts.
Many football fans and scouts have always questioned whether Hurts would make a good starting NFL quarterback. Here are three other reasons that Hurts has a good chance of success in Philly.
- Hurts and New Coach Nick Sirianni are Similar
The Eagles recently hired 39-year old Nick Sirianni to be their new head coach. That move should work well for Hurts as he and Sirianni have similar personalities. Sirianni is said to be an even keel young guy who does not like a lot of drama.
That should mesh well with Hurts who embodies some of those same characteristics. Sirianni learned a great deal from his three seasons in Indy while coaching under Frank Reich so that should bode well for Hurts to have success in 2021.
- Hurts Can Beat Opponents with His Arm and His Legs
Not only has Hurts greatly improved his throwing ability, the 22-year old has plenty of speed and is built more like a running back. The NFL has changed in several ways the past few years and one of those changes is that the majority of teams need a mobile quarterback.
Hurts definitely fits the bill in that regard as he ran for three touchdowns and 354 yards for the Eagles in 2020. Though he was only 1-3 as a starter last year, Hurts had a decent amount of success passing the ball by tossing six touchdowns and throwing only four interceptions (pro-football-reference.com).
3. Hurts’ Attitude is Second to None
In a flashy, me-first, social media obsessed generation it is so refreshing to see a young athlete like Jalen Hurts. Hurts is a natural leader with quiet confidence that believes in a team-first approach as evidenced by the fact that he did not leave Alabama immediately after being benched in favor of Tua Tagovailoa.
After going 26-2 as a starter for the Crimson Tide, it had to be a gut punch for Hurts to lose his starting job. Hurts could have transferred to another school immediately or sulked the rest of the season. The 6-1 223 pound playmaker chose to watch as much film as possible and become even more of a gym rat.
The patient and humble approach paid huge dividends as Hurts nearly won the Heisman Trophy the next season while at Oklahoma. It is that same humility that will allow Hurts to learn a great deal from a seasoned NFL veteran like Flacco.