Dec 8, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) and quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) celebrate their touchdown connection against the Carolina Panthers during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher
DeVonta Smith has now won both a National Championship and a Super Bowl as Jalen Hurts' teammate. Suffice to say, he has a strong opinion of the Eagles' quarterback.
In an appearance on Carmelo Anthony's podcast "7 PM in Brooklyn," Smith was asked how he feels about the constant debate on where Hurts ranks among the NFL's elite quarterbacks.
"Slay said 'the big four.' For me, it's 'the big five'. And Jalen is in that five," Smith said. "The four that he named, and then I'm putting Jalen in there."
Wholesome: DeVonta Smith puts Jalen Hurts in the 'Big 5' of the NFL's elite quarterbacks.
"For me it's the big 5."
Smith and Hurts have an unbreakable bond ❤️👏 pic.twitter.com/Ym6v3PichG
Most analysts believe that the four best quarterbacks in the NFL are Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow. Pundits may disagree on the exact order, but the feeling in the sport is that those four quarterbacks are ahead of everyone else.
Frankly, that's probably accurate.
But Hurts has now played in the Super Bowl two times in three years, and was NFL MVP runner-up in 2022. He's outplayed Mahomes twice on the biggest stage in the sport. Wins may not be a quarterback stat, but the Eagles are 46-20 in the regular season with Hurts as their starter. There were definitely some trials during 2024, but Hurts tossed 18 touchdowns and rushed for 14 — many of which came on the "Tush Push" play that no other quarterback seems to run even close to as effectively as Hurts.
Whether all that means Hurts should be mentioned with Mahomes, Allen, Jackson and Burrow is fair to debate. But at the very least, if he's not in the top four, he's with Jayden Daniels, Matthew Stafford and others competing for the fifth spot.
