Overrated or Underrated? Making Cases for Jalen Hurts, NFL's Most Polarizing Players

You know it's July when folks are calling the reigning Super Bowl MVP overrated. 

There's a fresh debate surrounding Jalen Hurts' abilities, and his head coach has now chimed in. 

"I think that's bulls--t," Nick Sirianni told reporters of the idea Hurts was carried by his teammates. "I mean, he plays the most important position in all of sports. And it's the most ultimate team game there is. And what I admire about him is his selflessness of doing anything we need to do to win, whether that's throw—I mean, obviously, anybody who plays quarterback is going to want to throw it 50 times a game—but he will do anything. If he has to throw it 50 times a game, he’s ready to do that. If he has to hand it off 50 times a game, he's ready to do that."

With that in mind, let's take a look at the cases for and against Hurts and several other star players who have recently generated considerable debate about whether they're overrated.

Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Criticism in a nutshell: The 26-year-old is not an elite quarterback, and he has benefited greatly from scheme, a top-notch offensive line and a loaded group of backs and receivers. 

Pro: He actually ranked in the top 10 in air yards per attempt and on-target rate in 2024, and he was the league's highest-rated qualified passer in the fourth quarter of one-score games. He also deserves credit for four consecutive 600-plus-yard rushing campaigns with double-digit touchdowns on the ground.

Con: He passed for fewer than 3,000 yards and threw only 18 touchdown passes during the 2024 regular season. He also completed just four of 18 deep pass attempts on third down last season, and it's sometimes clear he lacks the passing ability of some of the league's best quarterbacks.

Verdict: You have to look beyond the traditional raw passing numbers. Hurts has proved to be a clutch playmaker, his arm often still gets the job done and his remarkable productivity as a rusher makes up for the odd failure through the air.

San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy

AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

Criticism in a nutshell: The 25-year-old is a "system quarterback" who lacks elite talent but—like Hurts—has excelled as a result of a great offensive system and supporting cast. 

Pro: He led all qualified passers with 4.9 air yards per pass attempt in 2024, so his highest-in-NFL-history (min. 1,000 attempts) passer rating of 104.9 can't be based solely on scheme and YAC. 

Con: His career 70.8 passer rating in the fourth quarter of one-score games places him in company with Trevor Lawrence and Kyler Murray, neither of whom are considered remotely elite at this stage. Clutch is critical, and he hasn't had it. 

Verdict: Purdy appeared to be exposed as his rate-based numbers sank dramatically with less support as a result of injuries to his supporting cast in 2024. It's also possible the league has begun to figure out a seventh-round pick who lacks the arm strength and velocity to become a consistent superstar and is also prone to untimely mistakes. The 49ers might regret that big new contract. 

Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff

AP Photo/Rey Del Rio

Criticism in a nutshell: The 30-year-old can only excel in perfect conditions, as was often the case during his time with the Rams and has certainly been the case in a successful four-year tenure to date with the stacked Lions. 

Pro: Only a handful of quarterbacks were better on deep balls in 2024 than Goff, who also had one of the league's top four on-target rates for the second consecutive year. That's a great combination. He was also the league's top-rated qualified third-down passer by a wide margin in 2024.

Con: Probably just the fact that he is surrounded by tons of talent and has worked in superb systems, along with some struggles facing pressure (both literal in terms of pass rushes and figurative in terms of big late- or post-season games). 

Verdict: If it's all about system, why has Goff been so much better under Ben Johnson than he was with Sean McVay? Both are considered masterminds, and he had plenty of elite weaponry and support in Los Angeles too. We have to leave room for the notion that the 2016 No. 1 overall pick has truly improved his game and become a top-notch (if flawed) franchise quarterback.

Dallas Cowboys WR George Pickens

AP Photo/Jerome Miron

Criticism in a nutshell: The 24-year-old may have peaked early in his career with the Steelers, and he could be hindered by a limited route tree, a lack of consistency/reliability and possibly even a poor attitude. 

Pro: He's averaged 16.3 yards per reception thus far in his career, which ranks third among all qualified receivers during that span. 

Con: He's scored five or fewer touchdowns in each of his three pro seasons, and he put up career lows in touchdowns, yards per reception, yards per target and catch rate while dropping a career-high six passes in 2024. 

Verdict: That was enough for the Steelers to essentially give up on the idea of Pickens becoming a legit No. 1 target going forward, as they acquired DK Metcalf and traded him away to the Cowboys. He's a boom-or-bust guy who will likely never shake his major flaws but has plenty of value and potential as a No. 2 guy in the right system. That could well be Dallas. 

Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins

AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar

Criticism in a nutshell: Despite never catching 75 passes, scoring more than 10 touchdowns or going over 1,100 yards, the 26-year-old is one of the 10 highest-paid receivers in the NFL. He can't be relied on to produce consistently, stay healthy or beat defenses over the top. 

Pro: He does consistently catch about two-thirds of the balls thrown his way and averages a solid 8.0 yards per target, and he showed improvement after some early-career drop issues by dropping just three passes on 109 targets in 2024. 

Con: That 109 number. In fact, he's never been targeted more than 110 times in a season. Some of that has to do with the presence of Ja'Marr Chase, but Higgins has also missed 10 games the last two seasons. And even when on the field, he disappears too frequently. 

Verdict: Higgins isn't a star. He's an above-average receiver who suddenly gives you a massive moment from time to time (see: Cincinnati's 2021 Super Bowl run). It's a luxury to have him as a No. 2 receiver, but he has no business as a No. 1 target. That's why it makes sense in Cincy, even if his pay is out of whack now.