NFL Analyst Gives Eagles' Jalen Hurts Controversial Ranking
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
It looks like it might be another war-filled year between Philadelphia Eagles fans and analysts who comment on the game. Despite just winning the Super Bowl and being named the MVP a few months ago, Jalen Hurts recently landed in the top 10 of Chris Simms' 2025 quarterback rankings list.
Typically, the top 10 is a decent score for any passer, but in Hurts' case, being 10th overall might be seen as disrespectful by fans.
"He brings a skillset to [the Eagles] offense that makes them almost indefensible with all the talent they have," Simms said of Hurts, complimenting the veteran quarterback's game. Still, No. 10 won't sit right with Eagles fans, as several names ahead of him have proven less at this stage in their careers.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles warms up prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers during the NFC Wild Card Playoff at Lincoln Financial Field on January 12, 2025 in Philadelphia,...
Quarterback Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles warms up prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers during the NFC Wild Card Playoff at Lincoln Financial Field on January 12, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. MoreWho Ranked Higher Than Jalen Hurts?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield and LA Chargers' Justin Herbert come in at nine and eight. Both QBs are veterans who have been around long enough to have a resume that gives them a decent argument to be hovering around the top 10.
Two out of the next three rankings are where it gets a little more controversial. Houston Texans' CJ Stroud comes in at seven after wrapping up his second NFL season. There's no doubt Stroud is one of the better young passers in the game, but he saw a regression in year two, throwing for 3,727 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
LA Rams' Matthew Stafford is in a good place, ranking sixth. Then comes Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, who is coming off an impressive rookie effort.
Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, and Matthew Stafford headline first batch of top ten rankings of @CSimmsQB's Quarterback Countdown, now on Chris Simms Unbuttoned and Pro Football Talk
More: https://t.co/tHyz485gLh pic.twitter.com/8WkDhW1JGR — NBC Sports PR (@NBCSportsPR) June 9, 2025
The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year earned a Pro Bowl nod in his first season. He helped the Commanders shock the NFL with a 12-5 record, as he threw the ball for over 3,500 yards, 25 touchdowns, and just nine interceptions.
In addition to his passing, Daniels rushed for nearly 900 yards and six touchdowns. The recently-revealed QBs below Daniels had to prove a lot over the years to get where they are. Clearly, Simms is betting big on another Daniels masterclass in 2025 for his sophomore effort.
As for Hurts, he'll have to continue living with the narrative that suggests he's just outside of an elite class. Since the Eagles are coming off a season where they relied heavily on Saquon Barkley and the run game, Hurts' 2,903-yard, 18-touchdown campaign came with just as much criticism as support.
Hurts supporters might be fed up with the narrative heading into the 2025 NFL season, but the Eagles are likely content, as they have nothing to hang their head about these days.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NFL offseason power rankings: No. 22 Jacksonville Jaguars start bold new era with Travis Hunter pick
Other NFL team previews: 32. Titans | 31. Saints | 30. Browns | 29. Panthers | 28. Jets | 27. Giants | 26. Raiders | 25. Patriots | 24. Colts | 23. Dolphins The trade value chart said the Jacksonville Jaguars were crazy. Advertisement Jacksonville traded the fifth pick of the NFL Draft, a second- and fourth-round pick in 2025 and a 2026 first-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for the second overall pick, a fourth- and sixth-round pick. It was a severe overpay by any chart you can find. However, the Jaguars saw Travis Hunter as a unique, game-changing prospect. So they got him, no matter the cost. Maybe that's a good thing. The Jaguars might benefit from not following the same charts as everyone else. Jacksonville has zero Super Bowl appearances, only two playoff berths since the 2007 season and many years of being practically anonymous in the NFL. It hasn't gotten very far by following the book. The Jaguars shocked the NFL with the trade. New GM James Gladstone, just 34 years old and from the aggressive Los Angeles Rams' front office, boldly told Jaguars fans about the move: "Don't be scared. This is something I'm uniquely positioned to navigate." The move might turn out to be less about Hunter himself and more about a changing mentality in a sad-sack franchise. "It's a statement for how we plan to move, who we are," Gladstone said, via the team's site. Advertisement It has been a hard few years for the Jaguars. In 2020, they had a 1-15 season and fired Doug Marrone. It didn't seem like it could get any worse than that, but then the Jaguars made the laughable decision to hire Urban Meyer, who is now on a short list of the worst coaches in NFL history. Doug Pederson was brought in, and while the Jaguars weren't a complete laughingstock like they were with Meyer, Pederson looked like a tired retread by the end. Then the Jaguars had another embarrassing episode this offseason, keeping around general manager Trent Baalke when everyone said he needed to go, then firing him a few weeks later in the middle of a coaching search. Jaguars owner Shad Khan has been terrible at running the team, but he made two hires that seem inspired. Gladstone is young but he had nine seasons with the Rams before he was hired as Jaguars GM. New Jaguars head coach Liam Coen might not be good at a "Duval" chant, but he had an excellent season as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator and perhaps can get Trevor Lawrence to the level everyone was hoping he'd be at already. Advertisement "I really like it," Lawrence said of the Jaguars' offense, via Jaguars Wire. "It has a lot of answers. It's great. It puts a lot on the players, you have to know your stuff, but it gives you all the answers." The Jaguars have talent. Brian Thomas Jr. is coming off an excellent rookie season and was an egregious Pro Bowl snub. Not many teams have a better pass-rush duo than Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. Devin Lloyd and Foyesade Oluokun are two of the best linebackers in the NFL. Tyson Campbell is a pretty good cornerback and former Cowboys corner Jourdan Lewis was a strong addition to the secondary. Lawrence was one of the best quarterback draft prospects ever, and he has shown a few flashes. And Hunter could end up being a special, historic player. Maybe Gladstone's approach will work, or perhaps he'll flame out fast. But after years of failure, at least the Jaguars are trying something different. Offseason grade The Travis Hunter trade will be debated for a long time. Hunter has a Hall of Fame ceiling in the NFL and he might have to hit that to justify what the Jaguars gave up to get him. But the Jaguars had conviction. While that move was daring, the rest of the offseason wasn't too crazy. Offensive linemen Patrick Mekari and Robert Hainsey, cornerback Jourdan Lewis, safety Eric Murray and receiver Dyami Brown were the main free agent additions, and none of them cost more than $12.5 million per season. The big loss was tight end Evan Engram, but the team should feel that Brenton Strange can replace most of his production. The rest of the Jaguars draft was solid, and keep an eye on running back Bhayshul Tuten, a fourth-round pick who could be a big factor by season's end. Overall, the Jaguars seemed to get better. Advertisement Grade: B+ The Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to draft wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter with the second pick of the NFL Draft. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Quarterback report If Trevor Lawrence wasn't viewed as a chosen one before the draft, and was picked later in the first round or beyond the first round, would he have a five-year, $275 million contract? Would he even be an unquestioned starter in the NFL? Lawrence has a career rating of 85, which isn't far ahead of Daniel Jones' mark of 84.3. Over his last two seasons, Lawrence has 32 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. The Jaguars are 20 games under .500 in Lawrence's starts, and while a team's record isn't a quarterback stat, Lawrence hasn't lifted the Jaguars. The Jaguars are still chasing what they thought Lawrence would be coming out of Clemson. Advertisement The reasons for optimism are Lawrence's draft pedigree, a very good stretch in the second half of the 2022 season, the thought that the Jaguars' utter dysfunction has held Lawrence back and Lawrence being just 25 years old. This season, Lawrence will have Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter to throw to, and a new offensive-minded head coach in Liam Coen. If he doesn't have a big season, it's probably never going to happen. BetMGM odds breakdown From Yahoo's Ben Fawkes: 'It's a big year for Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars under new head coach Liam Coen. Jacksonville pulled off a stunning draft-day trade, moving up to No. 2 to take Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter. Hunter will bring excitement to a team with a win total of 7.5 at BetMGM, and one that has gone under its total in six of the past seven seasons. The Jaguars are favorites in only six games this season, but I think this team is a bit undervalued. I'd look to play the over 7.5 wins." Stat to remember The Jaguars didn't have much luck in close games last season. They were 3-10 in games decided by seven points or less and 1-4 when they were decided by three points or less. Taking on 10 losses in close games isn't normal. It wasn't all bad luck. Coaching matters in close games and the Jaguars weren't getting much of that. Quarterback play is a big factor too, and Trevor Lawrence missed seven games due to a shoulder injury and a concussion. Lawrence didn't play that well when he was healthy either. The 2024 Jaguars weren't very good, but their season would have looked a lot better with a neutral record in close games instead of having the NFL's most losses in one-score games. It's a reason to believe the Jaguars could rebound in 2025. Burning question What will Travis Hunter's career look like? Not many players have played both ways in the NFL over the last 60 years. It's also fair to note the modern college game hasn't experienced anyone like Hunter, who won a Heisman Trophy by playing nearly full time at receiver and cornerback at Colorado. Maybe he's just different than everyone else, truly the Shohei Ohtani of football. Advertisement What impact will Hunter have in the NFL? It's hard to say because there's practically nobody to compare him to. "There are players who have the capacity to alter a game. There are players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of a team. There are very few players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of the sport itself," Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said. "Travis, while he has a lot to still earn in our eyes, has the potential to do just that." The Jaguars are starting Hunter off primarily as a receiver, but they have plans to use him on defense too. Given what they paid to move up to draft Hunter, he better be playing both ways. It didn't take long for the Jaguars to see Hunter's exceptional ball skills on offense and defense. The urge to push his limits will be there all season. "'Milo' [secondary coach Ron Milus] came up to me after practice and said, 'Can we have him more?''' Liam Coen said after an OTA practice, via the team's site. "That's a good thing." Hunter will probably play more snaps than any other player this season and if it goes well, he'll lead the league in that category for many years to come. Best-case scenario Half of the last eight NFL Coach of the Year winners were first-year coaches who took their teams to unexpected playoff berths (Sean McVay, Matt Nagy, Kevin Stefanski, Brian Daboll). Why can't that be Liam Coen this year? Coen did a fantastic job with the Buccaneers' offense last season. The previous regime for the Jaguars was going through the motions. There will be a new energy this season, and Travis Hunter has a lot to do with that as well. Baker Mayfield had 41 touchdown passes in Coen's offense last season and while that's a lofty goal, Travis Lawrence can cruise past his career best of 25 touchdowns with improved coaching and strong weapons around him. Coen isn't in Jacksonville solely to fix the passing game; he can do wonders for a rushing offense that was often disjointed last season. The Jaguars can absolutely take a huge leap, like the 2024 Commanders, 2023 Texans or any other out-of-nowhere team to make the playoffs. It's not like the AFC South is that daunting. The Jaguars being one of the NFL's most exciting teams, Trevor Lawrence breaking out, Travis Hunter winning an Offensive Rookie of the Year award and Jacksonville winning the division while Coen is the latest rookie to win Coach of the Year is all on the table. Nightmare scenario If Trevor Lawrence isn't a top 10 quarterback this season, where does that leave the Jaguars? Given that $200 million of Lawrence's contract was guaranteed and he has a no-trade clause, the Jaguars are probably married to Lawrence through at least the 2028 season, for better or worse. Through four seasons, Lawrence has rarely looked like one of the league's best quarterbacks. If a new coach and two exciting receivers can't unlock anything new, it will be hard to buy that it'll happen later on. Maybe the Jaguars will continue to perpetually be a bottom-end franchise. Liam Coen had just one season running a top-end NFL offense and we also don't know if he can handle being a head coach. The Jaguars' 4-13 record last season wasn't just bad luck; there are holes on the roster. It's possible Jacksonville will be stuck in its rut for a lot longer. The crystal ball says The ranking might not reflect it — the Jaguars come into this season with a lot to prove — but this is a team that has a lot of breakout potential. Often, NFL teams that improve suddenly are led by first-time head coaches taking over from a previous staff that wasn't getting much out of its players. Liam Coen might be a massive upgrade for the Jaguars, though he'll have to show he can be an NFL head coach. There's enough talent to have a very productive passing game. The defense has a long way to go, but there are talented players on that side. The AFC South isn't that tough, unless the Texans rebound to what they were in 2023. I'm quite optimistic for this Jaguars team and think they can be a surprise division winner. They might move far up the power rankings very early this season.
USA Today
32 minutes ago
- USA Today
Detroit DT Brodric Martin facing critical training camp to keep his Lions career alive
Brodric Martin was a surprising choice as a third-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. While Martin was a familiar name in the draft analyst community, toiling as a nose tackle at Western Kentucky with 31 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 2022 didn't exactly earn a scouting spotlight. Heck, it didn't even earn him a trip to Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine in 2023. Nevertheless, Lions GM Brad Holmes saw high-end potential in Martin. The flashes of brute power and long-armed strength were certainly there. Coach up Martin's deficiencies in pad level and quickness off the snap, and Detroit might have something impressive. Through the first two seasons in Detroit, it hasn't worked. Martin needed time to adjust from life in C-USA to the NFL as a rookie, to get his body and his mind into professional shape. The de facto redshirt year was something the Lions coaching staff expected. Martin appeared in just three games and saw action on 28 snaps, registering three tackles. Martin returned for his second training camp in better physical condition. A better diet and more focused weight room work had him looking more like the prospect Holmes believed in. His work during training camp was inconsistently promising; it became very clear Martin just doesn't have the quickness or speed to ever be a pass rusher, but his ability to anchor when his pads are low and his quick eyes to find the ball were definitely something the Lions could work with. An unfortunate knee injury in the final preseason game wiped out nearly all of Martin's 2024 season. Two games, 25 more nondescript snaps at the end of the season--including a start against the Packers--now have the clock ticking on Martin as his third season approaches. I went back and reviewed Martin's snaps against the Packers in Detroit's Week 14 win. He produced just one play that earned a plus rating, with four that earned minuses--all in run defense. Martin immediately raises up too high and doesn't sink his hips or drive his feet to hold his ground. The way Holmes spoke about Martin earlier this offseason indicates the GM knows it's do-or-die time for his pet draft project. Flashing one day in camp, only to get pushed back to the fourth-team DL the next day because none of the flash points stuck, isn't going to cut it anymore. 'We need to see more of the consistency of the flashes, and he just needs to be a consistent player,' Holmes said. 'And he knows that. We've had transparent conversations, and so he knows that he needs to be a consistent player. He's got all the ability, he's got all the physical tools to be a consistent player.' Holmes and the team took actions to back up those words. The Lions drafted Tyleik Williams in the first round and signed underappreciated Cardinals starter Roy Lopez as a free agent. Lopez is a straight nose tackle and vaults ahead of Martin on the depth chart at the 0/1 tech position, where veteran DJ Reader performed very well in his first year in Detroit, too. Given the more dynamic interior positional flexibility of guys like Levi Onwuzurike and Pat O'Connor, it appears Martin faces a real challenge to stick on the Lions' 53-man roster in 2024.
Forbes
42 minutes ago
- Forbes
The Most Important Packers: No. 23 — Carrington Valentine
Green Bay Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine had his first two career interceptions last ... More season. The Green Bay Packers went 11-6 last season, sweeping the NFC West and the AFC South along the way. Overall, though, no one in the building was happy. The Packers failed to build on their terrific finish to the 2023 campaign, settled for the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs, and lost a Wild Card game to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia. Afterwards, general manager Brian Gutekunst turned up the heat on everybody in the building. 'We need to continue to ramp up our sense of urgency,' Gutekunst said. 'I think it's time we started competing for championships.' Those are fair expectations. The Packers return 20 of 22 starters, and appear to have upgraded the roster via free agency and the draft. With several third and fourth year players trending upward, Green Bay should be poised to make a move. 'I think they're ready,' Gutekunst said. Now, it's time for the Packers to prove their G.M. right. Green Bay's first training camp practice is July 23. Between now and then I will count down the '30 Most Important Packers' heading into the 2025 campaign. At No. 23 is cornerback Carrington 23 Carrington Valentine, CB Last season Valentine missed Weeks 3-4 with an ankle injury, but otherwise had a solid season. Valentine started seven of the 15 games he played, had his first two career interceptions and forced two fumbles. He also ranked fourth on the team with five passes defensed and added 30 tackles. Valentine started the final seven games for an injured Jaire Alexander and played well. Valentine had interceptions at Seattle and Minnesota. He forced fumbles against New Orleans and Chicago. And he played every snap the final three games of the season — including the Packers' playoff loss to Philadelphia. 'He's had injuries, he wasn't here for a lot of the training camp, and now he's kind of getting in the groove and he's playing really well,' Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said of Valentine late last season. 'And I would expect that from him moving forward.'Career to date Valentine was a seventh round draft pick in 2023 whose size (6-0) and speed (4.44) helped him win a roster spot that summer. He then made the most of his opportunities when injuries hit the cornerback room that season. Valentine played all 17 games his rookie year and made 12 starts. He recorded 42 tackles (32 solo), had nine passes defensed and one fumble recovery. Valentine led the Packers in 2023 in passes defensed and was ranked No. 7 in the NFL among all rookies. He also started both postseason contests that year, recording 12 tackles (nine solo). Valentine played his r0okie season at an undersized 180 pounds. That offseason, he worked with trainer Chris Vaughn at Aspirations Fitness Institution in Louisville, Ky., and added 15 pounds of good weight that helped him a year The Packers are thin at cornerback and have a lot of inexperience behind the top three of Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs and Valentine. So playing time — whether that's outside or inside — shouldn't be an issue for Valentine. Aside from being stiff-armed by Philadelphia's Dallas Goedert in last year's Wild Card playoff game — and subsequently ridiculed across social media — Valentine has been a pleasant surprise. He runs extremely well. He's not afraid to tackle. And he has surprising confidence for a former seventh round draft pick. Valentine played 62.6% of the snaps as a rookie and 50.2% a year ago. Chances are he exceeds those numbers this Said It … 'CV, he's one of my favorites. He plays the game the right way. He's smart. He works at it, it means a lot to him, and the next step is just to make routine plays look like routine plays. He's very strong at the point of attack. He's got good speed. He's tough. Just making those routine plays down in and down out, I think he can take a big jump this year, as well.' — Packers passing game coordinator Derrick Ansley on Valentine'He's been extremely coachable, high character guy. Busts his butt every day, has approached it the right way. So I'm excited for him. I think he continues to prove that the more he plays, the better he gets. So I'm excited for him.' — Packers coach Matt LaFleur on Valentine'I mean, obviously when you make plays and stuff like that, you're confidence keeps going up in the room. You also have sometimes you get humbled a little bit, but you never lose it. It's just a part of you. It's always going to be a part of me. I'm never going to change. I'm always going to be myself.' — Valentine on his confidence levelTHE TOP 30 • No. 30 — RB MarShawn Lloyd • No. 29 — WR Dontayvion Wicks • No. 28 — S Javon Bullard • No. 27 — WR Savion Williams • No. 26 — LB Isaiah McDuffie • No. 25 — OL Jordan Morgan • No. 24 — WR Matthew Golden
