Forget about their NFL potential. Set aside the difference in their teams.
Jalen Hurts vs. Nick Fitzgerald. Who ya got?
Hurts, now a sophomore, helped lead Alabama to the national title game. Fitzgerald, now a junior, carried the Mississippi State Bulldogs' offense on his shoulders all year, including three games with at least 300 yards passing and more than 100 yards rushing.
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Take a look at the two side by side, first in passing statistics:
On the ground, Hurts averages six yards per carry, tallied 954 yards and scored 13 times. Fitzgerald ran for 1,375 yards, 16 TD and averaged seven yards per rush.
Both are major threats to run the ball and throw it with similar frequency and for eerily similar yardage.
Hurts has an advantage in completion percentage — a rather large edge, to boot — whereas Fitzgerald, at least statistically, appears to be a slightly more instinctual runner.
Hurts is entering his second year as the Crimson Tide's starter, as is Fitzgerald, who sat out almost all of his freshman season — 14 pass attempts, 23 rush attempts in garbage time as the backup to Dak Prescott in 2015.
The two are vastly different physically, however. Fitzgerald has prototypical size at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds but can really run, reminding us West Coasters of a healthy Jake Locker at Washington. Watch Fitzgerald HERE.
Hurts is 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, just as fast as Fitzgerald and may be more elusive in the open field. Watch Hurts HERE.
Both have enough arm strength to continue to develop and do serious damage in the SEC.
Which one is better?
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