10. Jalen Hurts: This is the time of the year when football is in the air! The preseason has kicked off, a new Hall of Fame class has been enshrined in Canton, Ohio and each team has that one goal. That’s getting to Las Vegas, Nevada for the Super Bowl this season! It’s also time for my annual project entitled “Best In The Business” where I count down my ten best players in the league today! Let’s kick this off! The first player I’m about to introduce has been playing at a high level since 2020 which was his breakout season. When building a football team, what’s the most important position? The Quarterback. Consistent play under center will win you football games. This first gentleman I’m about to discuss has taken tremendous strides as a Quarterback. An all-time high seven new names will be making their debuts on the project this year and he’s the first name to be revealed. From Tuscaloosa to Norman and now Philadelphia. Jalen Hurts is the first name revealed! He claims my number ten spot and checks in as my fourth-best Quarterback in the league today.
Let’s take it back for a second. I remember his days with Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide. He depended solely on his mobility. After leaving Alabama for Lincoln Riley in Oklahoma, Jalen became more of a threat with his arm and also became a Heisman candidate that season. In Philadelphia, he’s put it all together. When I watch Jalen now, I see a more confident Quarterback. That first season, he was trying to get a feel for everything. Last year, he settled in, and I saw a guy with excellent pocket awareness. Back in 2021, Jalen would force the football out of his hands because he wasn’t given much time to throw the ball. If you’re open, you’re getting the ball. Dating back to 2021, defenses would dare him to beat them by being a traditional Quarterback and he struggled. When his first read was open, Jalen would attempt to scramble, and it would catch up with him. Last season, the improvement from the pocket was what caught my attention. Jalen increased his yards from the pocket from 7.2 to 8.8. Let’s discuss his mobility. Jalen plays with the mindset of a Running Back in the open field because he’s so tough to bring down. His strength as a ball carrier is an underrated aspect of his game because he can drive would be tacklers and keeps himself upright. Jalen is a calm and collected Quarterback with the quiet confidence to complete each pass that leaves his hand. The best pass I saw him complete was in the Super Bowl! He threw an absolute dime to AJ Brown, but it was how AJ adjusted to make the catch and it fell right into his hands.
Jalen was everything to this Eagles offense in 2022. He was a strong MVP candidate last year. He missed two games with a shoulder injury and the Eagles lost both games. That should show you right there how valuable he was to this offense. What I admire most about him is his leadership. To be so young at 24, this entire Eagles team follows his lead. He isn’t vocal, he’s that guy that leads by example. In April, he received a contract extension to stay in Philadelphia and it was well deserved. What a year he had and he’s just getting started in Philadelphia.
