He was a dual threat quarterback long before the term became popular, so Fran Tarkenton knows what it takes to excel in today’s National Football League.
An alumnus of the University of Georgia, Tarkenton was twice named first-team All-SEC (1959-60) and was selected in both NFL and AFL drafts in 1961. He carved out an incredible 17-year career (1961-78) with the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants. Tarkenton was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, first-team NFL All-Pro (1975), NFL’s Most Valuable Player (1975) and NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year (1975) among other accolades.
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Tarkenton, who earned the nickname “Scramblin’ Fran,” accounted for 47,003 career passing yards, 3,674 rushing yards and 374 total touchdowns.
His No. 10 jersey for the Vikings was retired and he was inducted into both College and Pro Football Hall Fame. With this year’s NFL Draft starting next Thursday, Tarkenton was on Mad Dog Sports Radio with Chris Russo.
Despite this class being filled with talent at the quarterback position, Tarkenton named a former Alabama signal caller as ‘the steal of the draft.’
ICYMI: @Fran_Tarkenton had a great conversation with @MadDogUnleashed and talked about his sleeper pick for the 2020 @NFLDraft @JalenHurts pic.twitter.com/Glj0TqKwWU
— Mad Dog Sports Radio (@MadDogRadio) April 15, 2020
“Back in my day, it was a sin to run,” Tarkenton said on Wednesday.
“You could not scramble, that was a terrible thing. It took them 61 years to figure out that a mobile quarterback, who can throw and run, is an asset. Now, you look at all the young players coming up, you are not going to see any more Tom Brady’s, Peyton Manning’s and Drew Brees’s. Those were the pocket kind of guys. You have to be able to throw it, but you have to be able to run it. I am going to give you the sleeper of the draft… Jalen Hurts. This guy has got it. He is a great leader. He is smart, he plays well. He can run, he can throw and now he has developed into a passer. Somebody is going to get a steal with Jalen Hurts.”
Tarkenton said Hurts won’t go in the first round, but he’ll be just as good as Joe Burrow.
“The mobile quarterback is in,” he said.
The Hall of Famer also referenced the success Hurts had as a national champion at Alabama and nearly leading Oklahoma to a national title too.
While the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Russell Wilson have won Super Bowls, Tarkenton feels that Hurts is in the same camp and has potential.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
