The Ravens viewed Hurst’s baseball experience as a strength because he had overcome so much adversity already. They knew he could take on the challenges of the NFL.
In fact, Assistant General Manager Eric DeCosta had read Ankiel’s book, “The Phenomenon: Pressure, the Yips, and the Pitch That Changed My Life.” Unbeknownst to DeCosta, Hurst is also reading it (he’s on Chapter 3).
“I don’t believe he’ll be flustered or overwhelmed by the NFL,” DeCosta said. “For any player, if they’ve overcome adversity before they come here, to me, that’s a positive quality.”
As he sets to embark on his rookie season, Hurst has a maturity most rookies don’t possess.