The latest position of focus in ESPN’s annual NFL survey of league executives, coaches, and scouts is the most important one in football: quarterback.
You will not find Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts ranked in the top 10, however:
- Josh Allen
- Patrick Mahomes
- Matthew Stafford
- Joe Burrow
- Lamar Jackson
- Dak Prescott
- Justin Herbert
- Drake Maye
- Jared Goff
- Caleb Williams
One year after placing ninth in this activity, Hurts has dropped down to being the very last name in the “honorable mention” category (which puts 16 total quarterbacks ahead of him … coincidentally, Pro Football Focus recently ranked Hurts similarly as QB15).
Funny enough, the provided blurb for Hurts is more positive than critical:
“I know it has been up-and-down, but I’m still betting on the Super Bowl credentials, the intangibles and the toughness.” — AFC offensive coach
Quarterback discussion tends to be pretty polarizing and Hurts is no exception to this dynamic. If anything, he might be the most polarizing player at his position. His biggest supporters can point to his Super Bowl success, his second-most wins in the NFL since 2022, and the kind of characteristics mentioned by this AFC coach. His biggest detractors can point to an Eagles passing offense that’s been uneven for multiple years now, Hurts’ declining rushing production, and personality questions.
As a self-described “Jalen Hurts centrist” who believes More Than One Thing Can Be True™, I don’t find myself getting bent out of shape about this ranking. I understand those who argue Hurts should be ahead of players who’ve accomplished much less than he has. His status as a playoff riser cannot be discounted. But I also think it’s fair to acknowledge that Hurts — to some extent — has benefited from more support than some of these other quarterbacks have and that’s a factor to consider.
We can got lost in the weeds of debating rankings, which don’t actually really matter (save for making some discussion in the slowest NFL news cycle of the year). As for what I do find meaningful from this activity? Whether he’s aware of this specific ranking or not, I tend to think Hurts benefits from a general outside perception that he’s being disrespected or underrated. He’s already a highly motivated individual but one gets the sense he relishes in proving his doubters wrong. Remember the “So that’s what y’all wanted to see, huh?” moment from the 2024 season? Of course you do.
With this in mind, there’s reason to be optimistic about Hurts entering 2026. He’s very driven to work against skepticism. He might really benefit from Sean Mannion’s vision for the Eagles’ offense. A strong season will likely result in a new contract extension that puts him in the top 10 quarterbacks by annual value (he’s currently 12th).
If Hurts falters? Well, there’s vindication for the consensus of ESPN’s survey.
UPDATE: ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler shared how these quarterbacks ranked by tiers.
TIER 1
1) Josh Allen
2) Patrick Mahomes
TIER 2
3) Matthew Stafford
TIER 3
4) Joe Burrow
5) Lamar Jackson
TIER 4
6) Dak Prescott
7) Justin Herbert
8) Drake Maye
9) Jared Goff
TIER 5
10) Caleb Williams
11) Sam Darnold
12) Jayden Daniels
13) Jordan Love (Fowler notes 10-13 were “incredibly close”)
14) Brock Purdy
15) Baker Mayfield
TIER 6
16) Trevor Lawrence
17) Jalen Hurts
TIER 7
18) Bo Nix
19) Daniel Jones
20) C.J. Stroud
…
Okay, Tier 6 feels harsh. Hurts should be Tier 5 at worst. I’m definitely not putting Love or Lawrence above him.
