Getty Jalen Hurts is likely to transfer after the 2018 season.
The Jalen Hurts transfer rumors have been swirling since after the title game when Tua Tagovailoa took over as the quarterback in the second half. The new transfer rule allows for players to switch teams and become immediately eligible if they play in four games or less.
While Hurts has played in more than four games, he is likely to be eligible to play immediately on another team next season thanks to the graduate transfer designation. Alabama head coach Nick Saban has essentially said Hurts will be playing elsewhere in 2019.
“I know there’s been a lot of talk around here about guys transferring and the transfer rule; you know Jalen obviously handled this extremely well relative to be a great team player and a great team leader, respecting his teammates, and sticking with the program here and playing very well today and taking advantage when he does have the opportunity to play and play well and try and create value for himself, which would be the message that I would send to all who are trying to take advantage of this new transfer rule,” Saban told Gridiron Now.
Hurts opted to remain with the team this season despite losing the starting job to Tagovailoa, but has finished out games for Alabama thanks to the Crimson Tide’s sizable lead in most games.
Jalen Hurts Is on Pace to Graduate in December Which Would Mean He Can Play for Another Team in 2019
ESPN reported that Hurts is on pace to graduate in December. As Heavy mentioned earlier this season, there is lots of speculation that Alabama’s chief rival Auburn could be in the market for a quarterback if Jarrett Stidham opts to head to the NFL after the season. ESPN also listed Florida, Arizona State, Houston, Kansas State, Texas, Oregon and West Virginia as potential destinations.
Given Hurts is still playing for Alabama, his 2019 destination is pure speculation at this point based on teams across the country that will likely need a quarterback next season. Hurts may have lost the Alabama starting job, but Tagovailoa is one of the best quarterbacks in college football. There will still be plenty of teams that will be pursuing Hurts this offseason. CBS Sports’ Chip Patterson broke down what could be college football’s version of free agency.
“Obviously, it depends on what kind of offenses the schools run, but looking around the Power Five, I think most schools would be interested,” Patterson noted. “If I look at the Big Ten, the only teams who might not consider him an upgrade over what they have are Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Michigan State. Every other school would likely consider him. At the same time, he’s not a great fit with most Big 12 schools. So, in the Power Five, I’d say the conservative estimate is 50 percent, but it’s probably higher than that.”