Jalen Hurts: 2020 NFL Draft stock, possible landing spots

Jalen Hurts’ current 2020 NFL Draft stock

The argument could be made that no 2020 NFL Draft prospect has done more for his stock than Jalen Hurts this season. With all of the aforementioned production and play that he’s put on tape with Oklahoma this season, it’s becoming to impossible to deny him as a viable NFL quarterback prospect that should be highly coveted.

Joe Marino of The Draft Network perhaps said it best regarding the leap Hurts has made:

"I remember over the summer being asked if Jalen Hurts was even a Day Two quarterback selection and having my doubts. His erratic play at Alabama and how much more effective Tua Tagovailoa was in the same scenario didn’t exactly provide inspiration for his NFL potential. It felt like defenses knew how to make Hurts win from the pocket and it limited the Alabama offense tremendously. Flash forward to 2019 with Oklahoma and Lincoln Riley and suddenly Hurts feels like a Day Two lock, if not higher. He’s in total command of the Oklahoma offense, showcasing impressive decision making skills, arm talent and of course his mobility."

In case you couldn’t tell by the things I’ve said about Hurts, I believe he’s more than just a Day 2 prospect but a viable first-round talent.

However, one thing that certainly negatively affects Hurts’ stock for the 2020 NFL Draft is the quarterback class he’s a part of. Tua Tagovailoa continues to look like the real deal, Justin Herbert remains a strong QB2 in the class, Joe Burrow has emerged as a star and the likes of Jake Fromm, Jordan Love and Jacob Eason remain in the mix as well.

Where that changes, though, is with the fact that there is also no shortage of potentially quarterback-needy teams. From teams that need any answer at the position to teams that need to plan for the future, there could be as many as seven or eight teams that need to spend a premium pick on a quarterback in the 2020 draft. That puts Hurts firmly in the mix of being an early-round selection.