NFL Draft Rumors: Patriots like Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts

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Rumors of the New England Patriots eyeing a quarterback in the early rounds of next week's NFL Draft continue to fly.

On Friday, ESPN's NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper joined WEEI's "Ordway, Merloni, and Fauria" and named Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts as a player the Patriots are interested in. Although New England doesn't currently own a second-round pick, Kiper believes they're open to trading into the second round to acquire him.

“There’s word out that they like Jalen Hurts from Oklahoma,” Kiper said. “He could be used in packages, and they could do with him they did with Lamar Jackson his rookie year in Baltimore ...

“There’s talk they could look at Jalen Hurts. I’m not buying 23, but if they move out of the first round, could they look at Jalen Hurts in the second round?”

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The Patriots do own three third-round selections, but Kiper notes Hurts isn't expected to drop that far.

“You keep hearing Hurts,” Kiper said. “You can believe it, not believe it, buy into it, say it’s too high, but Jalen Hurts, I’ve been told by someone I respect very much in the NFL right now. He’s a GM. He said the other day that he will not get out of Round 2. Hurts will not get out of Round 2.”

Hurts spent his first three college seasons at Alabama before transferring to Oklahoma in 2019. There, he completed 69.7 percent of his passes for 3,851 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The mobile QB also ran for 1,298 yards and 20 TDs.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network mentioned earlier this week the Patriots are likely to use a "premium pick" on a QB, so perhaps Hurts will be the guy. If not Hurts, other options include Utah State's Jordan Love, Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa, and Oregon's Justin Herbert.

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