Shannon Sharpe#42 of 87 NFL pundits · Jul 21, 2025
Sharpe places Jalen Hurts fifth among NFL quarterbacks, refusing to drop them out of their top five/top ten. They also predict Lamar Jackson will become the NFL's highest-paid player, exceeding Josh Allen's deal, and calls Jackson one of the three best quarterbacks in the league. They pick prime LaDainian Tomlinson over prime Adrian Peterson and says Miami-era LeBron was LeBron's peak.
Said on air or in an interview · Nightcap (podcast)Hear the original
What Shannon Sharpe said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromIf you say he's top five, he's five, because I'm not... I'm not getting him out of the top five.
- Where it was said
- Nightcap (podcast)
- The episode
- Nightcap Hour 2: Unc & Ocho react to Cam Newton leaving Jalen Hurts out of the Top 10 QBs
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
The page this came from has changed since we captured it on Aug 5, 2026. The quote and evidence here are from our capture, not from what the page says today.
- SaidJul 21, 2025
- GradedAug 6, 2026
- 1Lamar Jackson to finish top 3 at his position, by passing yards“He one of the three best quarterbacks in the NFL.”
- 2Jalen Hurts to finish top 5 at his position, by passing yards“I don't think I would he's five. If you say he's top five, he's five... I'm not getting him out of the top five”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar Jackson to finish top 3 at his position, by passing yards1 | Positional Finishes | Finished #23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Jalen Hurts to finish top 5 at his position, by passing yards2 | Positional Finishes | Finished #16 | 8.33 | 66.67 | −116.67 | |
| 2 calls · 2 misses · all settled | 4.2 | 33.3 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naive2 checkable claims — 2 positional finishes — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
All 2 have settled, averaging 4.2 out of 100, against 33.3 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Their call against what happened
positional finishTheir call against what actually happened.
1Positional FinishesLamar JacksonBaltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson to finish top 3 at his position, by passing yards
What happenedFinished #23called #3 · by passing yards0Miss · naive 00this call−0a naive guess=0better than naive×2difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Lamar Jackson
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 12
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- position:
- QB
- ranked by:
- passing yards
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- where he finished last season
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- naive finish:
- 6
- actual finish:
- 23
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- predicted finish:
- 3
2Positional FinishesJalen HurtsPhiladelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts to finish top 5 at his position, by passing yards
What happenedFinished #16called #5 · by passing yards8.33Miss · naive 66.678.33this call−66.67a naive guess=−58.34worse than naive×2difficulty=−116.67skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- skill:
- −116.67
- player:
- Jalen Hurts
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 12
- accuracy:
- 8.33
- baseline:
- 66.67
- position:
- QB
- ranked by:
- passing yards
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- where he finished last season
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- naive finish:
- 20
- actual finish:
- 16
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- predicted finish:
- 5
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 2 settled calls, each counted once
4.2naive 33.3
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Garrett Podell · Game Outcome Picks · Philadelphia Eagles · Miss 0
Podell predicts the Eagles, behind new starting quarterback Joe Milton III, snap their six-game losing streak by upsetting the first-place Giants in Week 9.Nathan Jahnke · Trade and Signing Calls · Jacoby Brissett · Hit 100
In a Week 9 recap, Jahnke expects Mark Andrews to remain Baltimore's lead tight end but says rookie Matt Hibner is more likely than Josh Cuevas to eventually overtake them, and they anticipate the Ravens acquiring Jacoby Brissett to start at quarterback. They also suggest Brian Thomas Jr. may have played their final game for Jacksonville ahead of the trade deadline.Nic Bodiford · Depth Chart Calls · Joe Fagnano · Hit 100
Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward.Mike Florio · Roster Spot Calls · Jake Moody · Miss 0
Florio expects Jake Moody to be promoted from Baltimore's practice squad to the 53-man roster if Tyler Loop lands on injured reserve.
More positional finishes
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Nick Wright · Positional Finishes · Puka Nacua · Close 75
Nick Wright picked the Ravens to beat Houston this weekend even with Lamar Jackson possibly out (leaning on Derrick Henry and Cooper Rush), the Chiefs to win in Jacksonville, and the Rams to beat the 49ers on Thursday night. They also laid out an AFC playoff field of Bills, Steelers, Chiefs, Chargers and Colts, projected the Chiefs' receiver pecking order once Rashee Rice returns, and called Justin Jefferson the best receiver in football with Puka Nacua a top-five receiver.Rich Hribar · Positional Finishes · Matthew Stafford · Hit 100
Hribar published their 2023 fantasy football quarterback tiers, ordering 41 quarterbacks into eight tiers that reflect how they prioritize drafting the position, with Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes in the top tier as the trio most likely to finish as the overall QB1.Chris Brockman · Positional Finishes · Jaxon Smith-Njigba · Hit 100
Brockman argued Jaxon Smith-Njigba is already the best receiver in the NFL and deserves to be the highest paid, called their shot that three quarterbacks (Mendoza, Ty Simpson, Carson Beck) go in the first round with Mendoza first overall, and suggested New England is headed for a 7-10 season.Ryan Tracy · Positional Finishes · Bryan Cook · Miss 0
Tracy argues the Chiefs should address edge rusher and defensive tackle via the draft and use free agency on running back and wide receiver; they name Brian Robinson as their target, expects Kenneth Walker III to re-sign with Seattle, thinks Nick Bolton-style veterans like Jerry Tillery, Derek Nnadi and Mike Pennel shouldn't return, believes Bryan Cook is a top-10 safety the Chiefs can't afford, and predicts a quarterback (Trinidad Chambliss) will rocket up boards so more than one QB goes in the top 10.Pat Gustavson · Positional Finishes · Bijan Robinson · Close 75
Gustafson picks the Patriots, Bills, Seahawks and Bears in the divisional round with a Seahawks-Patriots Super Bowl, predicts Mike Tomlin and Matt LaFleur stay, Aaron Rodgers returns to Pittsburgh, and lays out their own coaching landing spots.