While Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa are the quarterbacks that collectors seemed to focus much of their attention on, the smorgasbord that was the 2020 NFL draft has plenty of other players who still have plenty of time to become stars. Jalen Hurts rookie cards haven’t generated nearly as much of an investment or buzz as some of his classmates, but he’s about to get a chance to shine.
Jalen’s Journal
Hurts was a dual threat star quarterback at Channelview High School in Channelview, Texas were he was coached by his father, Averion. A four-star recruit, he was considered one of the better dual threat quarterbacks in the country.
Accepting a scholarship to Alabama, he became the first true freshman quarterback to start for the Crimson Tide in over 32 years. He shattered a plethora of passing and quarterback rushing records during that first college season and led the Tide to a 12-0 record. They advanced to the 2017 College Football National Championship game but lost to the Clemson Tigers, 35-31.
During his sophomore season Hurts and the Tide returned to the title game and won, but it was somewhat of a bittersweet moment as true freshman Tua Tagovailoa came in for a benched Hurts at halftime of the title game to lead the Tide to the title.
Hurts was relegated to the backup role behind Tagovailoa for his junior season and ended up in somewhat of a holding pattern with his playing time based off the availability and health of his younger replacement.In January of 2019, Hurts announced on social media that would be transferring to the University of Oklahoma for his final season of college eligibility. He quickly showed he was still a pro prospect, compiling nearly 4,000 yards passing and over 30 touchdowns coupled with nearly 1,300 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns. He finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting to LSU quarterback Joe Burrow.
Hurts was selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. Coming into his rookie season he was relegated to third string quarterback behind starter Carson Wentz and backup Nate Sudfeld.
Early in the season he was used as a decoy, lining up in various positions on the field but on December 6, he came in to relieve starter Carson Wentz who was benched due to his lackluster performance against the Green Bay Packers. By week 14 Hurts was named the Eagles’ number one quarterback. In his first start, he completed 17 of 30 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown, leading the Eagles to a victory over the New Orleans Saints.Hurts had mixed results in four starts, compiling a 1-3 record with just over a 50% completion percentage and a tick over 1,000 yards passing to go along with six touchdowns and four interceptions. He also rushed for over 300 yards and three touchdowns. The Eagles are hoping that with a season of experience, he can be their long term answer at quarterback. So do the collectors who’ve seen glimpses of greatness over the years and stashed his rookie cards.
In a list compiled below, we have three tiers of hot Hurts cardboard options. Below that is a live list of the current most watched auctions of Hurts rookie cards. You could choose to add him to your starting lineup or bench him in your collection. The choice is ultimately up to you.
Jalen Hurts Rookie Cards
NFL Starter Tier
1. 2020 Immaculate Collection #107 Jalen Hurts JSY AU RC #/99
Immaculate rookie cards are among the highest end options but somewhat underrated compared to the attention paid to other, more popular issues. This card offers a beautiful design featuring The Eagles bold colors and an on card autograph which is placed at the top of the card as well as a jersey swatch featured in the center of the card.
This is a very attractive option for a collector or investor with deeper pockets, but depending on the quality of the patch, you can still find them for much less than the other 2020 draft standouts as of now.
2. 2020 Panini National Treasures #161 Jalen Hurts RPA JSY AU RC #/99
The traditional top shelf card for fans of the best of the best, the Hurts RPA features an on card autograph coupled with a very nice multi-colored jersey swatch. If he does pan out, this will be a key Hurts card for any collector. It’s a high risk/high reward option but will be much more expensive than it is now if he starts to fly with the Eagles.
3. 2020 Panini Impeccable #114 Jalen Hurts HEL PAT AU RC #/75
The Impeccable brand fits right in with National Treasures and Immaculate in the top tier of rookie card offerings. Well, maybe not quite in price point but of quality, design and overall appearance of the card. It offers a piece of jersey, a piece of a helmet and an on card auto. For the price, it’s a very appealing option.
Heisman Hopeful Tier
1. 2020 Panini Contenders #122A Jalen Hurts AU RC
Well-known by collectors, this one offers the classic Rookie Ticket design with a nice sliver of a clean picture of Hurts getting ready to release the ball accompanied by an on- card autograph. The strong brand name means if he reaches his potential this will be a dominant card on hot lists in the future.
2. 2020 Limited #114 Jalen Hurts JSY AU RC/175
Although Limited may not reach the top tier as far as price point or even prices realized, there’s much to be said for the execution of the autographed rookie cards in this brand. The Hurts features a pretty jersey swatch and an on card autograph numbered to 175. The design of the card is just lights out. The horizontal picture with the auto, the nice image of Hurts and the great overall design makes this a winner on every level–especially at the current going rate.
3. 2020 Absolute #214 Jalen Hurts JSY AU/199 RC
This Absolute Hurts rookie features three pieces of used material and a sticker autograph. It offers a very small picture of the young QB in the center of the card and… it’s a little busy. With that being said, it’s also rather unique, quite limited and something a little bit off the beaten path for those looking for a change of pace and a lot of card coverage.
Transfer Tier
1. 2020 Panini Prizm #343A Jalen Hurts RC
Hurts’ Prizm rookie card can still be had for just a few dollars and that could be a wise investment if he pans out as Philly’s next great quarterback. As I say in pretty much every rookie review, the Prizm rookie is the one which by all others are measured, even with the larger number of graded examples entering the market. If you want colors, silvers and parallels there are plenty of options here. You have your pick. Choose wisely.
2. 2020 Panini Mosaic #222 Jalen Hurts RC
The Mosaic brand was vying for the attention of those buying Prizm, Optic and Select and it got some of that attention it was seeking in recent years. This is a solid, very inexpensive lower end rookie for the potential future of the Eagles organization. There are lots of parallels if you want something a little less common.
3. 2020 Select #50 Club Level Jalen Hurts RC
The shiny Select Hurts rookie is a nice pick up for just a few dollars. Select always offers a very nice product and a million and one color parallels and, uh, stadium seating options… if you’re into that kind of thing. There are plenty of options to fit your liking.
The 50 Most Watched Jalen Hurts Rookie Card Auctions
