New England Patriots Rumors: Jalen Hurts draft interest gaining momentum

The New England Patriots reportedly have growing interest in selecting Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The speculation and hype about a prospective New England Patriots selection of a quarterback in next week’s draft is heading toward a crescendo. And the hype around a favorite of mine, quarterback Jalen Hurts of Oklahoma, is as well.

Might this actually be possible?

As a previous article strongly suggested, Hurts should be the Patriots next quarterback. Colleague Will Hyland thinks he’s the man. Nothing’s changed in that evaluation. But other well-known commentators are leaning toward Hurts, as well.

 Andy Hart of WEEI thinks Hurts is “a unique leader and athlete.” Doug Kyed of NESN is positive about his potential for the Patriots. And Brent Sobleski of bleacherreport.com thinks Hurts is the “Right QB Prospect to Succeed Tom Brady”.

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And to top it off, on April 17, Mel Kiper, Jr. the draft guru of gurus and a personal favorite said this on WEEI radio about the Patriots and Jalen Hurts,

"““There’s word out that they like Jalen Hurts from Oklahoma,” he said. “He can be used in packages and do with him what they did with Lamar Jackson his rookie year in Baltimore.”"

Not all these are newly published comments but interest in a possible Hurts pick for New England is definitely brewing in the sports commentary world. Does this signal a groundswell of enthusiasm in Foxborough for this multi-faceted offensive weapon? Or is it just idle chatter?

The answer to this question won’t be known definitively until next Thursday or possibly Friday. We’ll know in less than a week. How could this happen? Here’s a scenario.

Hurts to the New England Patriots, smoke or fire?

While I have advocated previously that reaching for Jalen Hurts of Oklahoma in the first round of the NFL draft might be the way to go, that may not be the only viable alternative.

Vinny Iyer of sportingnews.com thinks that Hurts may be available in the third round and that the Patriots could trade up to get him there.  I’m not so sure he will be available there and wouldn’t take the risk.

But there is another scenario in which the Patriots could trade down and maybe still get their man while picking up another pick or two. Hurts is not generally regarded as first-round pick. But, waiting is risky. If someone has the same idea and might be looking for a quarterback, you could miss out if you drop down lower than that.

The New England Patriots passed on Lamar Jackson twice in the first round 2018. I remember hoping they’d take him at least on the second of those picks, if not the first. Baltimore didn’t pass him up. Let’s hope the Patriots don’t make the same mistake a third time.

But, for example, according to the drafttek.com draft chart, a trade with Tennessee which has the 29th pick in the first round, might get you that pick to take Hurts and Tennessee’s third-round pick at No. 93 for your first and a 6th round pick. That might be a very nice option.

That move provides the chance to get your quarterback of the future and add a fourth 3rd round pick giving you all kinds of flexibility to move into the second round or higher in the third for someone you want.

So a trade-down scenario just might work and be a better option, if you are convinced you can get your man at No. 29.

Another option would be to trade down into the top of the second round, pick up another pick or two and take Hurts. That would limit but not eliminate the risk of his going elsewhere.

While the Patriots overall record in the second round is pretty poor under Bill Belichick (with the exception of Rob Gronkowski and a short list of others), their recent record in selecting a quarterback in that round is excellent. Jimmy Garopollo in 2014 was the guy.

New England Patriots’ unpredictability will win out

With all that commentary and all the speculation, no one outside the war room at Foxborough has any idea of what the New England Patriots are really thinking, and that’s the way it should be. The draft is not only a crapshoot but it’s also a high stakes game of poker. You don’t show your hand until you have to.

Bill Belichick, The Emperor Palpatine of the New England Patriots’ Empire, is the master of bluff, deception and “blue smoke and mirrors”. He will always hold his cards close to the vest.

Any snippets of information like his admission that he built his offense to maximize Brady’s strengths, implying that things could change with another quarterback is posturing and stating the obvious. Of course, if he has a mobile quarterback in charge, the offense has to change.

Here’s my take on all this, none of the commentators have any idea what the Patriots will do next Thursday and Friday. It’s all a guessing game. But I can say this, the New England Patriots’ fan base was devastated by the defection of their long-time great quarterback.

But, the selection of a young dynamic, accurate passing, great running quarterback like the Oklahoma product would help reinvigorate them and move both the team and the fans into the 2020’s. I’d say that’s a great reason to draft Jalen Hurts.