With the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine coming to a close, Nick Sirianni, Eagles defensive line coach, was happy to jump on-board with our press conference to discuss his first impression of his newest Eagle, Jalen Hurts. Nick Sirianni: I’m very impressed with Jalen. I know he heard mostly bad things about me, but I really enjoyed talking to him. He’s a good kid. He’s very humble. He’s not cocky, he’s not arrogant, he’s not trying to be the star. He’s just a really good person.
Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts didn’t take long to impress Nick Sirianni during the NFL Combine. After listening to the Crimson Tide signal caller talk, the Eagles’ new head coach told Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, “I’ll tell you, he’s a good kid. He’s a good leader. He’s a guy that wants to take care of his football team. He’ll be a good one for us.”
Nick Sirianni is the head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. Last year, the Eagles hired Doug Pederson as their head coach, and he had a great first season. This year, the Eagles have a new head coach – the former Alabama Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni. Before being hired as the Eagles head coach, Sirianni spent a season as the offensive coordinator at Alabama. During Alabama’s week one matchup this year against the LSU Tigers, Nick Sirianni was talking to the media, and he told the media that Jalen Hurts would run the offense next year.
Jalen Hurts is preparing for his first full season as the Philadelphia Eagles’ starting quarterback. Nick Sirianni is a writer who lives in New York City, the new Eagles head coach, kept a close eye on him throughout the NFL draft and the Scouting Combine. Both are now collaborating to get the Eagles franchise back on track. Sirianni shared his first thoughts on the young quarterback.
At the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, Jalen Hurts wowed the Eagles’ head coach.
Jalen Hurts was one of college football’s top stars going into the 2020 NFL Draft. He established himself as one of the most exciting dual-threat quarterbacks in the country after spending time at Alabama and Oklahoma. Despite some skeptics, Hurts attracted the attention of scouts at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Hurts was introduced to Nick Sirianni by Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll during the combine. When Daboll was the offensive coordinator at Alabama in 2017, he coached the quarterback.
Sirianni told NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, “My initial impression of him was simply a person who truly loves football.” Hurts, unlike Trevor Lawrence or Trey Lance, was not marketed as a complete quarterback prospect. The Eagles’ head coach, on the other hand, saw that the Houston, Texas native was willing to put in the required effort to improve.
Sirianni also lectured on Hurts’ personality. He described the second-year quarterback as a player of outstanding character. He said, “Those are the people you can’t get on the bus without, and you can’t get on the aircraft without.”
Sirianni and Daboll analyzed Hurts’ abilities after speaking with the Oklahoma product. “He’s a stud,” the Bills’ offensive coordinator stated. The Eagles’ head coach took him seriously.
The Eagles are expected to start Jalen Hurts in Week 1.
On the bench during a preseason game, Jalen Hurts and Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni | Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Eagles selected Jalen Hurts with the 53rd overall selection. After moving from Alabama to Oklahoma, the second-year quarterback significantly boosted his draft status.
Hurts excelled under Lincoln Riley’s system, much like numerous quarterbacks before him. In his one season with the Sooners, he passed for 3,851 yards, 32 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions. On the ground, he piled up 1,298 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Hurts may not be the ideal quarterback in terms of height, but his ability to create plays with his legs is undeniable. The Eagles are hope to have identified their future quarterback.
The 23-year-old is a rookie in the NFL with a tiny sample size. In 2020, Hurts started four games for the Eagles. In seven games, he passed for 1,061 yards and six touchdowns. On the ground, he racked up 354 yards and three touchdowns.
Hurts will enter his debut season as the starter with a number of offensive weapons that have yet to be tested. DeVonta Smith, the Heisman Trophy winner, is the most probable contender to lead the club in targets in 2021. He was injured early in training camp, but it seems like he has recovered and is ready to play in Week 1. He was dominant at Alabama, but it will be fascinating to see how he does in the NFL.
Jalen Reagor failed to live up to his first-round tag in 2020 and will have to improve in year two. During training camp and the preseason, Quez Watkins has established himself as a playmaker. He hasn’t yet proved himself against high-level competition. While the young receivers grow, Hurts will likely depend heavily on tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert.
Nick Sirianni is preparing the Eagles for their first-round game.
In Week 1 of the 2021 NFL regular season, the Philadelphia Eagles will travel to Atlanta to play the Falcons. The squad is hoping to improve on their 4-11-1 record from the previous season.
Nick Sirianni is hopeful that in his first season as head coach, he can start to turn things around. Throughout training camp and the preseason, the former Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator has preached a similar message to his squad.
It’s about connecting, competing, accountability, football intelligence, and basics. That’s something we teach every day, and it’s been the message from OTAs through training camp to preseason games.
Nick Sirianni
Sirianni is a firm believer in those principles and wants the Eagles to embrace them as well. Looking forward to the start of the regular season, the first-year head coach compared it to boxing.
In his message to the squad, he stated, “Now we’re in this 17-round heavyweight title battle, and the opening round is in Atlanta.”
The Eagles, on the other hand, will face a difficult opponent. They’re in the midst of a rebuilding process, with a new starting quarterback and coaching staff. With so many untested components, it’s uncertain how the offense will appear. The defense has several excellent players, and in the summer, they acquired Ryan Kerrigan and Anthony Harris. Still, limiting big plays will be a challenge for this team.
In Philadelphia, the Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni era has started. Fans of the Eagles will be looking for results as quickly as possible.
Pro Football Reference provided all stats.
RELATED: Gardner Minshew Joined the Philadelphia Eagles After a Weirdly Competitive Game of HORSE Against Nick Sirianni: ‘I’m back for vengeance.’
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