CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE ZONE COVERAGE DRAFT GUIDE:
TOP 100 PLAYER PROFILES
RANKING THE VIKINGS NEEDS
EXPLORING VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
A HISTORY OF RICK SPIELMAN’S DRAFT TRADES
VIKINGS TARGETS
LUKE INMAN’S MOCK DRAFTS
SENIOR BOWL CENTRAL
FEATURES FROM OUR STAFF
JALEN HURTS
HEIGHT/WEIGHT/AGE
6-foot-1
220 pounds
21 years old
BIG PICTURE
Once the forgotten quarterback at Alabama, Jalen Hurts reinvented himself in his final college season to pave a likely NFL future as a mid-round pick. He was benched for Tua Tagovailoa in the 2017 National Championship Game and predictably lost his starting role the following season. As a grad transfer, though, he became the latest Oklahoma quarterback to air it out, following in the footsteps of Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, earning himself consideration for most of the major awards. Completed 70 percent of passes for over 3,800 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight picks. Also carried it for 1,298 yards and 20 touchdowns. Though he didn’t have the tools like Tua to be a first-round pick, he’ll be able to use his athleticism to vie for a job as a professional.
COMBINE NOTABLES
4.59 40-yard dash (2nd)
35-inch vertical (T-4th)
125-inch broad jump (T-1st)
VIKINGS COMPATIBILITY RANKING
1 out of 5. If — and it’s a big if — the Vikings were going to draft a rookie quarterback, it would likely be someone in the middle to late rounds, where Hurts is projected. Still, it seems unlikely.
HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT DRAFT EXPERTS SAY
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: “Like Tim Tebow, Hurts is a winning dual-threat quarterback known for his strength, toughness and character. Hurts is a more accurate passer and better runner than Tebow but is inconsistent as a decision-maker and tends to break the pocket when throws are there to be made. His deep-ball touch and intermediate accuracy improved this year so teams may see him as a developmental talent who will keep getting better in the right scheme. He’ll struggle to beat NFL defenses from the pocket, but his ability to grind out yards on the ground and make off-schedule plays should make him a solid backup with upward mobility.”
Kyle Crabbs, Draft Network: “QB Jalen Hurts is a transfer from Alabama who has steadily progressed as a passer — he still has limitations but the improvement he’s shown over his last 3 seasons is notable, the arrow is pointing in the right direction. Hurts is a perfect Day 2 QB in today’s NFL, where he can shine via on extended plays, mobility, play-making ability and comfort off script. Hurts’ general accuracy may temper his overall ceiling but he’s a developmental starter caliber player.”
WHAT PFF SAYS
91.6 overall grade last season (2nd)
47 carries of 10+ yards in 2019 (2nd)
Slowest time to release in FBS
CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE ZONE COVERAGE DRAFT GUIDE:
TOP 100 PLAYER PROFILES
RANKING THE VIKINGS NEEDS
EXPLORING VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
A HISTORY OF RICK SPIELMAN’S DRAFT TRADES
VIKINGS TARGETS
LUKE INMAN’S MOCK DRAFTS
SENIOR BOWL CENTRAL
FEATURES FROM OUR STAFF
