James Hurst

James Hurst (born December 17, 1991) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels and was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He also played in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints.

Early life A former standout at Plainfield High School, Hurst was named to the 2009 USA Today All-American team, and played in the Under Armour All-America Game. He earned his undergraduate degree in exercise and sport science from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and later earned Master of Business Administration from Kelley School of Business at Indiana University Bloomington.

College career As a freshman, Hurst earned freshman All-American honors by Rivals.com, Phil Steele, and The Sporting News. He appeared in all 13 games and started at left tackle in all but the first game. He graded out at a team high of 83% and was third on the team with 33 knock-down blocks.

Professional career

Baltimore Ravens Hurst signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent on May 10, 2014.

Hurst became a full-time starter for the Ravens in 2017, starting all 16 games at left guard.

On March 12, 2018, Hurst signed a four-year contract extension with the Ravens.

In 2019, Hurst was demoted to a backup role after being overtaken on the depth chart, starting only two games at left tackle.

On February 14, 2020, Hurst was suspended the first four games of the 2020 season for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances. He was released on March 16, 2020.

New Orleans Saints

Hurst signed with the New Orleans Saints on May 28, 2020. He was reinstated from suspension on October 5, and was activated on October 12.

On March 15, 2021, Hurst signed a three-year contract extension with the Saints.

On April 24, 2024, Hurst announced his retirement from professional football.

NFL career statistics

Year Team Games Starts 2014 BAL 16 5 2015 BAL 16 8 2016 BAL 16 3 2017 BAL 16 16 2018 BAL 10 10 2019 BAL 16 2 2020 NO 12 5 2021 NO 17 15 2022 NO 16 16 2023 NO 15 15 Career 150 95