Jalen Hurts readies for Eagles opener against Patriots, the team that nearly drafted him

Just days before the 2020 NFL draft, longtime ESPN analyst Mel Kiper appeared on WEEI-FM, a popular radio station in the Boston region, and said the New England Patriots were interested in selecting Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts.

On draft night, the Patriots traded out of the first round and possessed the Nos. 37 and 58 picks, while the Eagles were slotted to select at Nos. 21 and 53.

Hurts slipped to the second round and the Eagles, after taking TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor in the first round, nabbed Hurts with their next selection. More than three years later, Hurts has become one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

On the cusp of the 2023 NFL season — with the Eagles scheduled to visit the Patriots in the opener at 4:25 p.m. Sunday — Hurts was asked Wednesday if he was aware of the Patriots’ previous interest in him.

“Seems like there’s a lot of people who would have taken me if I was there,” Hurts said, smiling.

Thanks to his MVP runner-up performance (4,461 total yards, 35 total touchdowns, six interceptions, 14-1 record as the starter) in 2022, Hurts has established himself as one of football’s biggest stars. Earlier Wednesday, Patriots coach Bill Belichick labeled Hurts as “arguably the best player in the league.”

In response to Belichick’s praise, Hurts said: “I think he’s arguably one of the best coaches to ever coach this game. The consistency, the production he’s been able to have, and obviously how he impacts everybody from afar, I have a lot of respect for that. So those are nice words from him.”

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The Eagles are deep into their preparations for their Week 1 opponent. The Patriots were stout against the run a year ago, finishing sixth in the league in rushing yards allowed and fourth in yards per carry. Hurts provides the Eagles with an additional option in the running game, pairing him with a new-look backfield featuring Kenneth Gainwell, D’Andre Swift, Rashaad Penny, and Boston Scott.

In summer workouts, Hurts has been dynamic in the passing game, completing an assortment of difficult throws to his top targets, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert. The trio combined for 238 catches, 3,395 yards, and 21 touchdowns in 2022 as the Eagles scored a franchise-record 477 points, including 59 touchdowns.

Will that momentum carry over into 2023?

It’s worth noting that none of the team’s offensive starters — outside of the running backs — played during the preseason, so Sunday will be the group’s first live game action since Super Bowl LVII. Week 1 also marks the debut of new offensive coordinator Brian Johnson, who has a long-standing relationship with his quarterback.

“I’m pushing myself every day,” Hurts said. “That’s always a goal. The beautiful thing about football is you never stop learning. … Defenses change, offenses change, so there will never not be a thirst and an eagerness to be challenged — and most importantly challenge myself to grow.

“Hopefully that growth leads to many great things for this team.”

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The Patriots will attempt to counter Hurts and the offense with a secondary that includes defensive backs Jack Jones, rookie Christian Gonzalez, Kyle Duggar, Adrian Phillips, Jabrill Peppers, and former Eagle Jalen Mills.

With four days remaining until the opener at Gillette Stadium, Hurts appears eager to direct the reigning NFC champions through another storm.

“I think the game is slowing down for him,” Brown said of Hurts. “He’s recognizing a lot of things a lot faster. He’s playing at a different pace, playing with a different swagger. I know it’s just practice, but you can definitely see him, and we feed off his energy.

“I tell him all the time, I’m proud of him. He wants to win football games. That’s the only thing that matters. He hasn’t changed at all.”