Former Eagles LB Tears Into QB Jalen Hurts

The Philadelphia Eagles spent all offseason trying to convince the league Jalen Hurts is still elite, but Emmanuel Acho isn't buying.

The former Eagles linebacker tore into the Philadelphia quarterback by saying he is "not ranked too low" on the NFL's top-100 list.

Hurts landed at No. 56 on the annual players-voted list of the players. He fell 37 spots from No. 19 but still finished ahead of two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson (No. 69) and former teammate A.J. Brown (No. 80).

Emmanuel Acho: Jalen Hurts Is 'Not Ranked Too Low' on the NFL's Top-100 Players List

The Hurts debate centers around his skill and not his ability to win or lead.

But Acho, who spent two seasons with the Eagles (2013 and 2014) before becoming an analyst for FOX, felt good about where Hurts fell on the top-100 list.

"If you’re just drafting the best 100 players in the NFL, Jalen Hurts ain’t getting drafted in the best 100," Acho said on the Speakeasy podcast. "Now, if you’re adjusting for the inflation of the quarterback position, sure, maybe.

"But if you’re just drafting the 100 best football players, Jalen Hurts is nowhere near the top of that list. Quarterbacks are worth more, thus he is, but I just think you got to be respectful to all the talent in the league."

Hurts is coming off one of his best passing seasons. He posted a career-high 25 touchdowns and posting his third-most single-season passing yards (3,224) despite Kevin Patullo's unimaginative offense.

Yet, his running stats cratered, and he had uneven games like his four-interception performance against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Emmanuel Acho Believes in Jalen Hurts' Winning Ability

Hurts continued to win in 2025, since the Eagles repeated as NFC East champions. He is 57-25 in his six-season career as a starting quarterback, played in two Super Bowls and was the MVP of Super Bowl LIX.

So even Acho couldn't deny Hurts' ability to lead the Eagles to victories. But he's not a believer in the Philadelphia quarterback's talent compared to peers like Jackson or even Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos.

"As a winner, Jalen Hurts is a top-three winner in football," Acho said. "If you’re ranking quarterbacks based on winning, which I love doing that, Jalen Hurts is a top-five quarterback.

"But if you’re just talking talent, Lamar Jackson’s rated 69. So at the end of the day, because Lamar Jackson is poorly ranked, I don’t care where Bo Nix is. Jalen Hurts at 56 is not ranked too low."