One of the NFL Draft’s best defensive line prospects Maurice Hurst has been diagnosed with a heart condition that will certainly change his entire draft.
Some horrible news is coming out of the 2018 NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Saturday as top defensive line prospect Maurice Hurst has been diagnosed with a heart condition of some kind, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Also per Schefter, Hurst will immediately withdraw from all activities and drills at the Combine as he considers a long-term course of action.
Michigan DT Maurice Hurst, projected as a potential first-round pick, was diagnosed today with a heart condition, league sources told ESPN. Hurst will not go through combine drills and will undergo further testing this week.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 3, 2018
Hurst is a 6’2, 282 lb. beast along the defensive line for Michigan who is very quick to disrupt the interior and break into the backfield despite being outmatched in size by most offensive linemen. He comes with experience and technique, with strength and speed, and is generally considered a very well-rounded talent expected to go in the first round in most mock drafts.
Unfortunately for Hurst now he faces significant questions moving forward. Any player who has previously been diagnosed with a heart condition has taken a significant cut in attention. Nick Fairley, for example, was told the same thing even as a veteran player last year and he was placed on a reserve/non-football illness by the New Orleans Saints and kept off of the field. He was subsequently released earlier this offseason.
For a team like the Kansas City Chiefs, who would have never even had access to Hurst due to not having a first round pick, Hurst presents an interesting option as a late round flyer. The Chiefs have enough holes that even a talent like Hurst, now being a question mark, isn’t worth the flyer on Day 2, when what the Chiefs need are instant impact players. That said, the team has 2 fourth round picks and it might be worth it then to take a risk on Hurst hoping that you find an elite talent on the cheap.
Any team who wants to take a chance on Hurst is going to need significant medical checks and re-checks to make sure they can take on the liability and risk. Hurst is certainly worth the mountain of work, but there’s no way Hurst will be taken on Day 1 at this point unless his own further testing completely reverses course on these initial reports from Schefter.