The Philadelphia Eagles surprised fans by taking Jalen Hurts with the No. 53 overall pick in the draft. Not only did many think that was high for Hurts, but it was surprising to see a team that already has a solid quarterback take Hurts so high.
So why did Philly make the pick? General manager Howie Roseman explained the situation during a conference call with the media.
Roseman said the team saw value with the Hurts pick and that they aspire to develop quarterbacks.
Howie Roseman on the Jalen Hurts draft pick: We want to be QB developers. When we made these decisions, this is who we are. Carson Wentz knew ahead of time that this pick was possible. The place we were in the 2d rd and our board we felt this was the best move for the #Eagles.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) April 25, 2020
On a conference call GM Howie Roseman explained the selection of QB @JalenHurts: “We think he is an incredible teammate .. we are quarterback developers. We want to be a quarterback factory.” Said he spoke to @cj_wentz about the possibility of picking Hurts.
— Dave Spadaro (@EaglesInsider) April 25, 2020
Additionally, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson compared Hurts to Saints quarterback Taysom Hill and suggested Philly would try to utilize Hurts’ rushing skills.
Said head coach Doug Pederson: “He has a unique skill set. You see what Taysom Hill has done in New Orleans .. it’s something we’re going to explore.” Said Hurts is a good QB who can throw on the run and is a great runner.
— Dave Spadaro (@EaglesInsider) April 25, 2020
While Hurts may not be as versatile as Hill, the success of Lamar Jackson has shown that dual-threat quarterbacks can succeed in the NFL, which likely explains why the Eagles view Hurts as a major asset.
