The New England Patriots should have interest in Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts.
After an outstanding season, Hurts might have played himself into the top three rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft. The already deep quarterback class is now deeper with Hurts in the conversation.
Before 2019, Hurts wasn't on the radar of draft pundits.
He received criticism after being benched at halftime of Alabama's National Championship win over Georgia. However, it's often forgotten that Hurts lost just two games as a starter and came off the bench in the SEC title game to secure a come from behind victory. In his senior (graduate) season, Hurts is about to enter his third college football playoffs as a starter for his second team.
Oklahoma named Hurts their starting quarterback after he decided to transfer for his final season. Hee finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting after an incredible season. He finished his lone season in the Big 12 with 3,634 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also ran for 1,255 yards and 18 touchdowns and even caught one.
With Hurts now creeping into draft consideration, a team should consider making him their eventual franchise quarterback. Perhaps that team is the Patriots.
The 42-year-old Tom Brady is set to be a free agent. He cannot receive the franchise tag from the Patriots, so if they want him back, he will need to be signed. Brady's future in Foxborough is unknown. Even if he does re-sign, it will not be for many years considering his age.
This opens the door for the Patriots to draft his replacement. Names like Jake Fromm and Jordan Love will be linked to the Patriots. They could draft a player who has a high ceiling but might not be ready to start just yet, also known as Hurts.
Hurts was a huge success at Alabama, but he did not put up huge numbers until playing under Lincoln Riley. He's regarded as a smart football player stemming from a good family. His success as Sooner proved he could be a good pass under the right scheme. In Norman, his anticipatory throwing and dual-threat status made for a tough beat for defenses.
The Patriots were a few years early in drafting Brady's replacement when they had Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett on their roster. Since drafting Brissett, Brady has added two Super Bowl rings and the MVP award. With Brady potentially nearing the end, Hurts could be the replacement to find in the early to middle rounds of the draft.
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