Jerry Jones says Cowboys considered drafting Jalen Hurts despite having Dak Prescott
The Dallas Cowboys have a great quarterback in Dak Prescott. Although the 30-year-old star has come up short in big games, he has often played well, and the Cowboys have been Super Bowl contenders every year since he was drafted in 2016.
Even so, the franchise traded for Trey Lance from the San Francisco 49ers on Friday, surprising many. And in another twist, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that he didn't discuss the move with Prescott or coach Mike McCarthy before landing the third overall pick from the 2021 NFL draft.
For one more twist, Jones also said that Dallas was once considering drafting Jalen Hurts in 2020.
Here's what Jones said while discussing the decision to trade a fourth-round draft pick for Trey Lance:
“Two years ago, we were looking at a Philadelphia quarterback,” Jones said.
In 2020, Hurts was taken with the No. 53 pick by the Philadelphia Eagles – even though Philadelphia had Carson Wentz – after Dallas passed on Hurts. The Cowboys took cornerback Trevon Diggs, now a two-time Pro Bowl selection, with the No. 51 pick.
ESPN projected Hurts as a third- or fourth-round pick, but he ended up going in the middle of the second round.
In 2021, Lance went No. 3 to San Francisco in a quarterback-driven first round. Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Zach Wilson (New York Jets) went first and second, and five QBs were taken in the first round.
Although Lance didn’t fall in his draft, Dallas did well with the No. 12 pick, getting linebacker Micah Parsons, the 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
“But looking at him, had he fallen to us there, we would have drafted him,” Jones said. “It is our plan – when we can, but it very seldom happens, to have someone of a high enough quality to be there at the right place with our draft pick – and this one worked. And so we're excited about it."
It certainly would have been very interesting to see how things would have panned out if Jones was able to draft Hurts.
Dak Prescott's future looks uncertain with the Cowboys
With every passing week, it seems like Jerry Jones is already looking at the Cowboys' future without Dak Prescott. His confidence in trading for Lance hinted that the Cowboys might part ways with Prescott at the end of his contract in 2025.
Moreover, the comments about Jalen Hurts are proof that he is always looking to improve the quarterback position. If Prescott fails to play well in the playoffs this season, Lance could certainly work his way toward becoming their new quarterback in the future.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit The Ari Meirov NFL Show and H/T Sportskeeda.