Jalen Hurts and the MVP Hunt: Strong Case for this Eagle to Fly

When you’re sizing up the NFL MVP futures market, you’ve got to zero in on quarterbacks. It’s the position that has dominated the MVP accolades for years. How dominant? The past decade saw 10 out of 10 MVPs play the quarterback position. Dive a bit deeper, and you’ll find that 15 of the last 16 MVPs were quarterbacks. The only non-QB to buck the trend in recent times was Adrian Peterson, whose stellar 2012 campaign for the MVP award still resonates. Scan the MVP betting lines, and you’ll predominantly find quarterbacks ruling the roost until you’re 40 players deep.

Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.

Justin Herbert stands tall with the fourth-best MVP odds at 9 to 1. Herbert was the NFL’s top earner not long ago, raking in an astonishing $52.5 million annually. That was until Joe Burrow inked a record-shattering five-year, $275 million contract, averaging $55 million per season. And while Burrow has led his team to impressive heights, including a Super Bowl appearance and two AFC titles, Herbert’s journey has been more about individual brilliance than team achievements. He’s clocked an eye-watering 14,089 passing yards in just three years – a historic feat marking the highest by any player in their first three seasons in the NFL. But the real challenge for Herbert is to complement those stellar stats with team success, a test that will kick off in the season opener against the Dolphins.

Check out SportsGrid’s NFL game picks and NFL Props Picks all Season Long.

Yet attention gravitates towards Jalen Hurts. Oddly, despite finishing as the runner-up last season, Hurts sits outside the top four prices, pegged at a tempting 12 to 1. Let’s crunch some numbers: Hurts tallied 3,701 passing yards, and threw 22 touchdown passes against a miserly six interceptions. And that’s not all. His prowess on the ground is second to none, amassing 760 rushing yards and notching 13 rushing touchdowns. Only Cam Newton’s 2011 record of 14 rushing touchdowns outshines that.

What’s more, there’s ample room for growth. Hurts didn’t even breach the 4,000-yard passing mark last season, signaling a vast reservoir of untapped potential. If the Eagles, the NFC favorites, ride high on the success wave and Hurts boosts his stats, we could very well see him clinch the MVP title. Given his track record and a few weeks as the MVP favorite towards the tail end of the last regular season, a 12 to 1 bet on Hurts isn’t just about cashing in the ticket; it’s also about spotting value bound to appreciate as the season unfolds.

Have all the intel you need? Free actionable info is one click away! Sign up for our daily newsletter, SportsGrid Daily.