Cowboys Are Lying About Eagles QB Jalen Hurts to Dallas

Was Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts really a 2020 draft target for the Dallas Cowboys in order to be Dak Prescott's backup? Welcome to the myth-making genius of Jerry Jones ... and a whopper of a fib.
In this story:

After leading his team to the Super Bowl and finishing second in the MVP voting last season, Jalen Hurts landing with the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 53 overall in 2020 draft feels like, in hindsight, one of the bigger draft steals over the past handful of years.

It's anyone's guess if he would've risen to elite status had he landed anywhere else. But the Dallas Cowboys seemed ready to take their chances. ... at least according to owner Jerry Jones.

Did the Cowboys almost draft Jalen Hurts? That is the story making the rounds now that Dallas has traded for Trey Lance, with Jones mentioning that his team liked both Lance and Hurts in recent drafts.

Said Jerry: “But looking at him, had he fallen to us there we would have drafted him!”

Our friends at CowboysSI.com, however, tell a different story.

Let us take you back to December 2020, when this tale was circulated before 

“We looked at him really hard,” COO Stephen Jones said that month on 105.3 The Fan as part of the buildup to an Eagles’ NFL Week 16 visit to AT&T Stadium, who were quarterbacked by the rookie. “Obviously, our guy is Dak (Prescott), but at the same time, Mike (coach McCarthy) is a big proponent of continuing to look at quarterback. We certainly had interest in (Hurts) …”

CowboysSI.com wrote then that Dak Prescott’s presence would preclude Dallas from using a “highest pick” on another QB.

So … Jalen Hurts in the second round? How would that have gone down?

The Eagles used the 53rd overall pick on Hurts. Dallas picked two slots ahead of that. … and passed on Hurts, opting to take Trevon Diggs.

And obviously, Dallas wasn’t going to take Hurts (on whom they had a second-round grade) in the first round instead of CeeDee Lamb.

Fact is, the Cowboys did have Hurts “fall to them.” And they passed twice … while the Eagles were smart and lucky and good in selecting the young superstar.


Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Philadelphia Eagles? Click Here.

Want even more Philadelphia Eagles news? Check out the SI.com team page here


Published