Jalen Hurts

Position: Quarterback: Dual Threat

Committed: 6/5/2015

Hometown: Channelview, TX

TDAL Star Rating: 4

Height: 6’2” Weight: 210 lbs.

Athletic Measurables: 

Jalen Hurts, a guy out of the Houston, Texas area was an under the radar quarterback before his commitment to Alabama, behind the likes of Jacob Eason, Feleipe Franks, Jawon Pass, etc. But Alabama liked what they saw and this commitment could be big for the Tide’s offense. Hurts has pretty decent size, but whatever he lacks in size (which isn’t much), he makes up for in arm strength. This kid has a big arm and for a dual-threat QB, he’s not one to run first. He has a lot of room to build on his frame and could end up being a guy who comes right in and competes off the bat.

Instincts & Technique: 

Hurts has the arm and knows how to use it. He is a very underrated passer. He can really put the ball in tight windows accurately and throws a nice deep ball. But his greatest strength in his throwing game is that he can really throw well on the run. If the play is breaking down, you will not see Hurts get flustered, he is comfortable with his pocket presence and puts that quick release to good use. If he has no options, he can take off and absolutely blaze you with his speed.The vision he possesses when running is actually impressive, it’s similar to the vision of a running back. If he can build on his frame a bit, he should thrive under Lane Kiffin and when he gets his chance he will not disappoint.

Strengths & Weaknesses: 

Strengths: Hurts has a lot of upside to his game. He can let it fly with his outstanding arm strength, and get it to his receiver with his underrated accuracy. The most impressive part of his game is his ability to throw on the run, his compact throwing motion allows him to release the ball quickly, which is a big help when evading the pocket. When he gets out of the pocket and doesn’t have options, Hurts takes off and there is a good chance you won’t catch him, between his speed and vision, all it takes is one cut and he’s gone.

Weaknesses: Hurts is not the biggest guy, at least compared to the other quarterbacks on Alabama’s roster, but has the room to build on that frame. If he can put on a little more muscle, he could fill out and be a real force inside and outside the pocket. Jalen Hurts has shown a little bit of “happy feet” when the pocket collapses, and that won’t work for him in college like it does in high school. The only other weakness that Hurts has shown is that he throws off his back foot more often than he should, but that can be fixed with the right coaching (Lane Kiffin).

Reminds Me Of: 

Alabama does not currently have a player on their roster to compare Hurts to, however, Hurts’ style of play almost reminds me of a healthy RG III.

CLICK HERE TO SEE JALEN HURTS’ HIGHLIGHTS

Justin Wagner is the Lead Recruiting Analyst for Touchdown Alabama Magazine,  Follow him on Twitter, at @jwag718 as well as Touchdown Alabama’s Recruiting Twitter @tdarecruiting.