Jalen Hurd – Wide Receiver, Baylor
The Raiders still have an opening at slot receiver, and a guy like Jalen Hurd could be the future answer. A former running back turned wide receiver, Hurd is extremely raw but showed a ton of potential during his one year at Baylor.
Hurd has excellent size at 6’4 220lbs and with his background as a tailback, he provides great run after the catch ability. Hurd also has natural hands which are a great thing to start with as he grows at the position. He also shows an ability to find the soft spot in zones which is highly valuable as a slot receiver.
There’s also fluidity in his movements that suggest there is room to improve his route running with time.
Check out this twitter thread courtesy of Patriots beat writer Evan Lazar that highlights some of Hurds upside.
Hurd is no doubt a project and may not be able to seriously produce in his rookie season. However, with good coaching, he could turn into a very nice player that adds value not only as a receiver but perhaps in the backfield on occasions as well.