Former Hurricanes wide receiver, Allen Hurns, is making an unexpected – at least to those outside of Miami – splash in the NFL. In just his second season in the league, Hurns already holds the longest active streak for consecutive games with a touchdown, having scored six games in a row. He is also the youngest player in NFL history to record six touchdowns and at least 600 receiving yards through the first eight games of a season, according to Robert Bailey of Rosenhaus Sports.
Hurns’ success at the pro-level does not come as a surprise to most Hurricanes fans. In his senior year with Miami, Hurns set the school record for receiving yards with 1,162 yards. He was also awarded the Jack Harding Award as the Hurricanes’ most valuable player.
However, to the rest of the football universe his success may be deemed a surprise, considering Hurns went undrafted in the 2014 NFL draft. His fall in draft stock is often attributed to his relatively slow 4.54-second 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine.
After signing as an undrafted free agent with Jacksonville Jaguars, Hurns quickly found success in the NFL. In his career debut, he hauled in four passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles. Midway through his rookie campaign, Hurns was listed as the number two rookie to outplay his draft position, according to NFL.com’s Gil Brandt. Hurns ranked only behind Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson, another former Cane.
Listed at 6-foot-3 and 198 pounds, Hurns’ strong play can be in part attributed to his physical stature. He is currently the tallest receiver on the Jaguars roster, and his size allows him to compensate for his lack of breakaway speed.
Hurns can next be seen in action Sunday when the Jaguars take on the Baltimore Ravens.
Feature photo courtesy HurricaneSports.com.