Eagles draft: Where would Jalen Hurts land if we redrafted the QB-heavy 2020 class?

One of the biggest developments of the NFL season is the ascension of third-year quarterbacks.

The 2020 NFL draft may have had four quarterbacks taken in the first round, but it wasn’t considered what it appears to have become: a generational class for the position.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Los Angeles Chargers signal caller Justin Herbert proved themselves in short order, and the jury still is out on Jordan Love in Green Bay. Jalen Hurts, a second-round pick by the Eagles that year, and Miami Dolphins star Tua Tagovailoa are firmly in the 2022 MVP race after uneven play in their first two seasons.

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Below, we’ll redraft the first 10 picks of the 2020 class and explore how Hurts’ and Tagovailoa’s progress changes the outlook of the group:

Even though Burrow wasn’t the type of traits-heavy prospect who often is labeled as franchise-altering, he was viewed as rock-solid for his college production at LSU. He has proved to be exactly the type of player capable of reversing an ill-fortuned franchise and still is deserving of the No. 1 spot as a result.

Washington went with the best player in the draft, but, with the benefit of hindsight, easily would take Herbert (No. 6 overall) here. Some may even prefer the former Oregon standout to Burrow because of his arm talent. Herbert isn’t an MVP candidate this season, but his three-year body of work is more solid than Hurts’ or Tagovailoa’s, and it is easy to argue, with the right supporting cast, he’d be as good as any quarterback in this class.

It’s tempting to give Detroit a quarterback here, but if we’re keeping in mind the state of these teams going into the draft, Jefferson, the No. 22 pick in this draft, feels more likely. The Lions still had Matthew Stafford in the building and weren’t looking for his replacement. Okudah has dealt with multiple injuries and hasn’t been the impact player on defense Detroit was hoping for. By contrast, Jefferson already is one of the league’s best receivers and is off to a historic start to his career.

Young would be justifiable here as well, but Jefferson gets the edge because of his durability and the impact he has had on winning even at a less-than-premium position.

The logic behind drafting Thomas to solidify the offensive line was sound, but the selection left a bit to be desired. Wirfs, who went No. 13 to Tampa Bay, has become one of the best right tackles in the NFL. Even though Thomas has rebounded nicely since a shaky rookie season, Wirfs gets the edge.

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The Hurts-Tagovailoa debate rages on all these years later, although it is more theoretical than it was when the two were at Alabama. Which one you would rather build a franchise around at this point mostly comes down to preference. Hurts (No. 53 overall in 2020) contributes more to the run game, protects the football better, and throws a nicer deep ball. Tagovailoa has a slight edge in short-to-intermediate accuracy and off-platform throws. Hurts’ decision-making has progressed enough to call that category a wash between the two, although they play in significantly different offensive schemes.

The biggest disparity between the two might be Hurts’ durability. Tagovailoa has dealt with a multitude of injuries throughout his career, whereas Hurts has been available, save for an ankle injury that cost him two games last season. In such a close race, that durability is enough to give Hurts the nod over his college teammate.

The Chargers don’t make out as well as they did in 2020, but they still get the quality starting quarterback they were after. Like Hurts, it’s hard to separate Tagovailoa’s 2022 success with the pieces around him, but he has shown more than enough to warrant being taken over the likes of Young and A.J. Terrell.

Considering how talented Young is, it is hard to imagine him falling this far in most classes. The narrow decision between Jefferson and Young at No. 3 and the early run of quarterbacks lands the edge rusher in Carolina. Young still is one of the most gifted edge rushers in the NFL, even though a torn ACL has kept him from having the impact many expected.

Since the Simmons experiment failed, the Cardinals go with a proven defensive chess piece instead. Winfield, the No. 45 pick in 2020, can play out of multiple alignments and is the type of young defensive cornerstone the Cardinals could sorely use.

The Jaguars were hoping to secure a lockdown cornerback in 2020, and in the redraft, they actually get one. Terrell has been one of the stingiest young cornerbacks in the league, even if he doesn’t have the same turnover production as other guys like Dallas’ Trevon Diggs, who was picked 51st in this draft.

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The Browns sought out offensive line help and still could here, but Lamb is too talented a player to leave out of the top 10. Cleveland acquired Amari Cooper this offseason in part because Lamb, who was picked 17th, had outgrown his role as a No. 2 receiver with Dallas. Here, they get the younger and better player instead.