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Eagles Select QB Jalen Hurts with No. 53 pick in NFL Draft

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The Philadelphia Eagles selected QB Jalen Hurts with the 53rd overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. Hurts grew up in Texas and was a four-star recruit after a fantastic career as a dual-threat quarterback at Channelview High School in Channelview, TX. Hurts gained national attention after posting 2,384 passing yards (26 TD) and 1,391 rushing yards (25 TD) as a senior for the Falcons. Actively pursued by Texas A&M, who were looking to replace QB Kyler Murray after he transferred to Oklahoma, Hurts ended up committing to Alabama in 2015.

Hurts (6-foot-1, 222 pounds) had one of the more interesting quarterback careers in college football. He earned the starting role for Alabama as a freshman and posted 2,780 passing yards with 23 TD and 9 INT during his first season. His success on the ground (954 rush yards, 13 TD) helped the Crimson Tide post a 14-1 record. The lone blemish was a 35-31 loss to the Clemson Tigers in the 2017 CFP National Championship game.

He played in 14 games as a sophomore and posted 2,081 passing yards with 17 TD and just one INT. However, Tua Tagovailoa came off the bench to steal the show during a 26-23 OT win over the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2018 National Championship. Hurts was relegated to the backup role as a junior in 2018 and played in 13 games. He then transferred to Oklahoma.

Hurts guided the Sooners to a 12-2 record and he had great success throwing the ball (3,851 yards 32 TD and eight INT), leading to a 69.7 percent completion rate. He was also electric in the run game, as Hurts posted 1,298 rushing yards and 20 TD during his final college season. While his pocket presence needs some polishing, Hurts has a skill set to be an NFL starter.

2019 stats (Senior; Oklahoma): 3,851 pass yards, 32 TD, 8 INT, 1,298 rush yards, 20 TD (14 games)

2018 stats (Junior; Alabama): 765 pass yards, 8 TD, 2 INT, 167 rush yards, 2 TD (13 games)

2017 stats (Sophomore; Alabama): 2,081 pass yards, 17 TD, 1 INT, 855 rush yards, 8 TD (14 games)

2016 stats (Freshman; Alabama): 2,780 pass yards, 23 TD, 9 INT, 954 rush yards, 13 TD (15 games)

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