LA Rams: QB Jalen Hurts could be a weapon like Saints Taysom Hill

The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine will give LA Rams fans a glimpse into the talent of QB Jalen Hurts

The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine begins its nationally televised coverage on Thursday, February 27th. All LA Rams fans need to tune into the workouts by the quarterback groups. Jalen Hurts could be used in the Rams offense like Taysom Hill is used in New Orleans.

The initial phase of the 2020 NFL Combine has already begun. Each arriving player, so far, has been weighed and measured for the eye test version of the Combine. Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts is an interesting quarterback to monitor throughout the drills.

Per his Combine measurements, according to cbssports.com, Hurts stands 6-feet-1 weighing 222 pounds. His hand measured 9-6/8 inches. He has a wingspan of 77 5/8 inches. With all those measurements, Hurts indeed passes the initial eye test.

In one season at Oklahoma, Hurts completed 237 of 340 passes for 3851 yards with 32 touchdowns. Also, he carried the ball 233 times for 1298 yards with 20 touchdowns. Hurts is truly a dual-threat quarterback.

The New Orleans Saints signed up a quarterback similar to Hurts. Former Brigham-Young University quarterback Taysom Hill is a 6-foot-2 230-pound dual-threat quarterback that New Orleans uses in strategic situations. Could the LA Rams draft Hurts to employ in the offense in a very similar way that New Orleans uses Hill?

How the LA Rams might incorporate Jalen Hurts into the offense

First, like Hill, Hurts could be the third down and short quarterback. He could run the ball for the first down or use a play-action pass to move the chains. His presence on the field would give opposing defensive coordinators big problems in trying to defend the pass or run all over the field of play.

Second, Hurts could line up as a receiver or running back. LA Rams head coach Sean McVay could be very creative in implementing new formations and offensive packages for Hurts.

Third, Hurts is very athletic but raw in his development as a quarterback. He seems to be improving each season. Lance Zierlein of nfl.com writes the following:

"… Hurts is a winning dual-threat quarterback known for his strength, toughness and character. … His deep-ball touch and intermediate accuracy improved this year so teams may see him as a developmental talent who will keep getting better in the right scheme. … his ability to grind out yards on the ground and make off-schedule plays should make him a solid backup with upward mobility."

The Rams have a good starting quarterback in Jared Goff. Still, Hurts would be a nice addition to the Rams offensive weapons, affording new offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell plenty of options to propose to McVay for the 2020 offensive playbook.

The pre-combine projection for Jalen Hurts had him as an early selection on draft day three.  But the NFL sometimes trips upon itself when trying to “fit” a uniquely talented individual into their traditional football roles.  Heading into the 2017 NFL Draft, one scout admittedly projected Taysom Hill as an NFL free safety.  In that 2017 NFL Draft, Hill went undrafted. You can follow Hurts at the Combine and see how well he compares to the other quarterbacks.