Jalen Hurd is one of the top prospects in the country, and looks ready to take his talents to the next level in 2014.
Jalen Hurd recruit scouting report: A very good running back, but not how you think
US Army
Hurd attends Beech (Tenn.) High School, and comes from Hendersonville, Tenn. The senior can play multiple positions, including running back.
The recruit stands at 6’3 and weighs 230 pounds. He is rated as a five-star recruit by 247sports and Rivals, and a four-star recruit by ESPN and Scout. ESPN rates Hurd as the seventh-best running back in the class, 247sports has him as the fourth-best athlete, Rivals ranks him as the fifth-best running back and Scout lists him as their 11th-best running back. The 247sports composite rates him as a four-star recruit, and he is considered the 40th-best recruit in the class. Hurd is also rated as the fourth-best athlete in the class and the top recruit in the state of Tennessee.
Hurd holds a host of offers, including from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Stanford and Tennessee. He can be found on Twitter at @MRHurd18.
Bud Elliott, National Recruiting Analyst: I like Jalen Hurd, but I do worry that Tennessee fans are making him out to be more than he is. He is definitely big, and fast. I have no doubts that Hurd can hit home runs. When he hits his top speed he can really fly. My concern is what happens when he is not able to hit top speed and must work between the tackles. He is certainly more fast than quick -- a builder, if you will.
Part of evaluating Hurd involves forgetting what you expect him to be due to his build, and evaluating what he is: a streaky, north-south runner who is better at hitting big plays than you think and not as good at moving in tight places between the tackles. He is also not as much of a power runner as some think. I do like Hurd’s stiff-arm, but he does not profile someone who is going to run through a lot of tackles right now. He needs to bulk up some in the lower body and develop more power through the hips.
