Quarterback certainly wasn't seen as a position of need for the Eagles heading into the draft.
That notion coupled with the high-profile status of Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts certainly made Friday's selection garner notice when Philadelphia used the No. 53 pick on the Sooner.
For coach Doug Pederson, whose creativity offensively has been showcased as much for dealing with injuries as it has for memorable Super Bowl plays, it was a selection that offers up a unique boon for Philly and a daunting task for the opposition to defend.
"He has a unique set of skills that we're going to take a look at as we keep developing this offseason and this advancement, so to speak, as we get ready for training camp," Pederson said Friday, via team transcript.
It's a new dawn in the NFL in which an athletic college quarterback provides versatility for an offense as opposed to more archaic previous thinking when said quarterbacks would be looked upon to switch positions to receiver, running back or defensive back.
Pederson isn't looking for Hurts to replace franchise quarterback Carson Wentz, but to complement him when possible.
"With Jalen Hurts, he has a unique skill set," Pederson said. "You see what Taysom Hill has done in New Orleans and now he and [Saints quarterback] Drew Brees have a connection there and a bond there, and you even look at -- when Joe] Flacco and [[Ravens QB] Lamar [Jackson] in Baltimore for the short period of time, how they gelled together. It's just something we're going to explore. I want to make a point here first and foremost that Jalen Hurts is a good quarterback, and he was drafted as a quarterback and he's a quarterback first, but he has a unique skill set that he's a great runner. Obviously, he throws well on the run."
And so it seems that if all goes to plan, Hurts will progress as a quarterback and the Eagles will be able to add some new wrinkles to the offense of the reigning NFC East champions.
