✅ How Jalen Hurts fits into Danny Parkins’ ranking
Parkins frames Hurts as a classic dual-threat quarterback—a player with elite athleticism, leadership, and game-winning capability, but not the premier pocket passer among his peers . That mindset lands him just inside the Top 10—recognized for his ability to make plays with his legs and his leadership under pressure, though limited by conventional passing metrics.
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📊 Context: ESPN’s 2025 QB Rankings place Hurts at No. 9
Parallel to Parkins’ list, at least one major rankings effort—ESPN’s 2025 league-wide poll—also placed Hurts at No. 9, among scouts, coaches, and executives. That ESPN list ranks behind him: Patrick Mahomes at #1, Josh Allen at #2, Joe Burrow at #3, followed by other standouts like Jayden Daniels at #5, Matthew Stafford at #6, and Justin Herbert at #7 .
Hurts was beaten out by Herbert (#7), Stafford (#6), and Daniels (#5) in that list.
ESPN analysts noted the key question: “whether he has the ability from the pocket to vault into the top five eventually,” despite his Super Bowl pedigree .
That ranking, like Parkins’, highlights Hurts’ unquestioned place in the upper echelon—but also consensus that he is not quite at the very top tier.
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🏆 Why Hurts makes the lists
Super Bowl performance and postseason excellence
Hurts led the Philadelphia Eagles to victory in Super Bowl LIX, earning Super Bowl MVP honors—a feat that substantially boosts his resume and reputation as a winner on the biggest stage .
Dual-threat impact and rushing dominance
He holds the NFL record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season (15) and four straight seasons with at least ten rushing TDs . His rushing ability—especially in short-yardage situations—is unmatched. ESPN described him as “the most potent short‑yardage quarterback rusher in NFL history” .
Ball security and accuracy improvements
Hurts significantly improved from 15 interceptions in 2023 to just five in 2024, even with fewer passing attempts—a mark of growing efficiency and maturity . Analysts praised him as “one of the game’s most accurate passers,” and noted a strong completion percentage over expected (+6.6) .
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🔍 Points of contention
While his accolades and dual-threat nature earn him a spot in the Top 10, analysts continue to question Hurts’ potential to ascend higher:
Pocket passing limitations remain a concern. Critics argue he isn’t built to dominate in a pass-heavy system and may struggle without a strong running game around him .
His 2024 passing total was modest—just 2,903 yards—reflecting a run-heavy offense led by Saquon Barkley, who topped 2,000 yards that season .
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni vocally defended Hurts, calling unfair the notion that Hurts was “along for the ride” during the Super Bowl run . Former players like Emmanuel Acho also slammed the low ranking as “asinine” .
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📌 Summary overview
Jalen Hurts is firmly included in every recent top-10 quarterback list:
Danny Parkins—No. 10 QB in NFL
ESPN insiders poll—No. 9
Both rankings reflect him as an elite quarterback in the league, with his Super Bowl success, rushing excellence, and improving passing efficiency. However, critiques remain over purely pocket-based passing skills and his fit in high-volume throw-oriented offenses.
