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Jalen Alexander Hurts was born in Austin, Texas, on August 7, 1998. His father, Averion, was a running back for the Texas Longhorns from 1993 to 1996. His mother, Gina Blackmon-Hurts, is a middle school math teacher and track coach. Jalen has two older brothers – Averion Jr., who plays football at the University of Houston, and Justin, who plays for Midwestern State University.
Jalen excelled at both football and track & field. He began his football career as a Wide Receiver but later transitioned to Quarterback. He led his high school team to the state championship game as a junior. He was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and ranked as the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in the nation by 247Sports.com. According to ESPN, Hurts weighs in at 223 lbs. and is 6’1”.
The Beginning
Before reaching the NFL, Hurts had a busy and successful collegiate career:
Alabama Crimson Tide
The Alabama Crimson Tides are one of the most successful college football teams in history. With over 20 national championships, they have a lot to be proud of. Hurts chose to play college football at the University of Alabama over offers from many other schools.
As a freshman, Jalen Hurts became the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Alabama since 1984. In his freshman year, he was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and led the Tide to the College Football Playoff National Championship game.
Hurts had a good season in 2018 with the Crimson Tide but found himself struggling in the National Championship game, leading him to be replaced by 6
Tua Tagovailoa at halftime by Coach Saban. The decision to continue forward with teamwork led to Alabama defeating Clemson to give the Crimson Tide their fifth national title in nine years. Some speculate that the championship game may have led to his transfer to the Oklahoma Sooners the following year.
The Oklahoma Sooners
The Oklahoma Sooners have one of the most exciting sports programs in the country. They have won multiple national championships in football and basketball, and their fans are among the most passionate in all college sports.
Hurts transferred to Oklahoma State in his senior year, played for the Oklahoma Sooners, and was named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. That year, Hurts made 3,851 passing yards, 32 passing touchdowns, and eight interceptions, as well as adding 20 rushing touchdowns and 1,2998 rushing yards to his collegiate record.
Hurts Joins the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL (National Football League)
The Eagles drafted Jalen Alexander Hurts in the second round of the NFL draft, and he officially joined the team.
The Philadelphia Eagles selected Jalen Hurts 53rd overall in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. On December 6, 2020, Hurts came in relief of Carson Wentz, who was benched due to ineffective play, against the Green Bay Packers. In this matchup, Hurts threw his career first passing touchdown to Greg Ward and finished the game with 109 passing yards with a touchdown and an interception in the 30-16 loss. Although he didn’t win the game for the Eagles, his performance was impressive enough to earn him the starting quarterback job for the rest of the season.
Since becoming the starter, Hurts has led the Eagles to two consecutive wins. In his first start against the New Orleans Saints, he completed 17 out of 30 passes for 167 yards and ran for 106 yards on 18 carries. He also had a passing touchdown and an interception in the 24-21 victory. In his second start against the Arizona Cardinals, he completed 15 of 30 passes for 208 yards and ran for 63 yards on 15 carries. He didn’t have any touchdowns or interceptions in the 33-26 win.
In the 2021 NFL season, Jalen Hurts ran over 3,000 YDS for the Eagles, ranking him 21st amongst QBs, scored 16 touchdowns tying him in 23rd, and had nine interceptions, ranking him 8th. His accomplishments during this season boosted his completion rate to 61.3%. During the 2021 season, Jalen Hurts also became the first-ever Eagles Quarterback to have ten rushing touchdowns in a season. His total quarterback rating as announced by ESPN for the 2021 season, is 48.5.
While he may be new to the NFL, Hurts is no stranger to success. As a quarterback, he was named the collegiate conference’s offensive player of the year for the Sooners. While the Eagles are looking at a challenging season ahead, Hurts is a valuable asset to the team and continues to be a contender in the NFL.
Should Jalen Hurts Be Your Fantasy Pick In 2022?
Fantasy points are determined by several factors, including touchdowns, yardage, and sometimes even completion percentage. In his first full season as a starter, Hurts finished 10th among quarterbacks in fantasy points. However, there is some room for regression in that touchdown number. Hurts led quarterbacks in red-zone attempts. He tied for 20th across positions in red-zone rushes, tied for 11th most carries inside the 10, and collected the 6th most attempts inside the 5. These numbers indicate that while Hurts may not be the most efficient quarterback in terms of passing touchdowns, he is more likely than other quarterbacks to score fantasy points through rushing touchdowns.
Clearly, Hurts has one of the top running talents in the NFL and has both speed and power to carry his position. His throws are more often “catchable” than not, and he shows poise under pressure, resulting in his teammates and coaches lauding his teamwork and leadership abilities. Not only is his mental confidence and athletic abilities worth noting, but he continues to improve his stats every year.
While he has been known to make mistakes in his runs, Jalen Hurts remains a strong pick for your fantasy league team and is a force to be reckoned with.
Jalen “Hurts So Good”
Hurts has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the NFL season, leading the Eagles to a division title and earning a spot in the Pro Bowl. He may yet prove to be the Eagles’ MVP. And now, it appears that he’s hoping to cash in on his newfound success in the offseason with a line of branded merchandise. The Eagles quarterback has reportedly applied for a trademark on the phrase “Hurts So Good.” According to the filing, Hurts intends to use the trademark on various clothing and accessories, including shirts, pants, socks, collectibles, and underwear.
It’s unclear whether Hurts will be able to secure the trademark, but one thing is sure: Eagles fans will be eager to get their hands on anything bearing his name after his performance last year.
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