WR Allen Hurns Deserved to Be Drafted in Third Round, Per NFL.com

The Jacksonville Jaguars found an absolute gem in undrafted rookie receiver Allen Hurns. Hurns has been incredibly productive for the Jaguars, even if his consistency has been lacking at times.

Per Gil Brandt at NFL.com, Hurns should have been drafted in the third round. Here is what he had to say:

"Hurns is probably the player in the 2014 draft class who has surprised scouts the most. I had him listed on my priority free agent list after the draft but only 16th among the wide receivers. He has 12 catches for 254 yards and three touchdown, and is second in the NFL in average yards per catch (21.2). Done all over, he could be a third-round pick."

I agree almost entirely with Brandt’s analysis. Hurns surprised scouts and he has surprised the NFL overall. He has managed to be a big play threat every time he touches the ball and he has proven to be difficult to take down, finding running room after shaking the first defender.

Hurns needs to find consistency, however. He has 12 catches for 254 yards, but he has been targeted 24 times as well. While some of those have been tough or uncatchable passes, Hurns has struggled with drops or a lack of concentration when receiving. These are rookie mistakes and he should outgrow them with time, but they aren’t mistakes that receivers who are drafted in the first round make. I would also argue they aren’t mistakes that receivers drafted in the third round make.

As much as I love Hurns (and here at B&T we really do love having Hurns on the team), he strikes me more as a fifth round selection. He is vastly over performing at his position and even if he were drafted in the first round his statistics would be perfectly acceptable.

Except for his rookie mistakes.

Hurns just doesn’t have the concentration of a rookie deserving being drafted in the first two days of the draft. I’m really glad the Jaguars picked him up in free agency, but he looks more like a fifth round pick than somebody who should have been drafted in the third round. Now, if he had made some of those big catches so far in the season we would be having a different discussion.