Last week wasn't the first time Archie Manning had seen Jalen Hurts throw since the end of last season.

The former NFL star quarterback and father of Peyton and Eli Manning watched Alabama's spring game in April and saw Hurts throw for 301 yards and two touchdowns against the Crimson Tide's first-team defense.

His primary takeaway? He thought Hurts "looked much improved from 2016" as a passer, a feeling he says was reinforced last week as he watched Alabama's sophomore quarterback compete at the Manning Passing Academy in Louisiana.

Hurts was one of 43 standout college quarterbacks in attendance for the Manning Passing Academy. They served as camp counselors while also taking part in a quarterback competition and multiple throwing sessions under the guidance of Peyton and Eli Manning.

"Jalen's a good-looking quarterback, and he threw the ball well," Archie Manning told AL.com. "We really enjoyed having Jalen. He's really a fine young man and a good guy, a really good guy. He worked great with our campers and mixed in so well with our staff. He was one of the favorites. And in all of the throwing sessions, he performed very well."

In particular, Hurts shined throwing the deep ball, especially during a throwing session on Friday.

During that workout, quarterbacks were split into groups and rotated between four stations. At one station, quarterbacks had to throw go-routes. At another, they had to throw deep post routes.

"Jalen threw the deep ball really well in that Friday workout," said Senior Bowl scouting coordinator Patrick Woo. "When you go back to last year, that was something Alabama didn't utilize all that much was the deep ball and obviously he missed a few in the playoff games, but I think that's his biggest strength is throwing the deep ball. He's big. He's obviously smart. And he definitely has a live arm. That's for sure. That ball really zips out of his hand."

The feedback was similar from Senior Bowl executive director and former NFL executive Phil Savage, who was also in attendance for that Friday workout.

"He is physically strong and has a powerful arm," Savage said of the 6-foot-2 Hurts, who is up to about 225 pounds. "I still think his deep ball is his best throw. He can rainbow it out there. I would think it was a very positive experience for him, being around the Mannings and all those other top-shelf QBs."

While Hurts was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year as a freshman last season, improving in the passing game has been a top priority after he threw for 138 yards or less in five of Alabama's final seven games last year.

His showing at the Manning Passing Academy was further proof of his growth and arm talent.

Some of the top quarterbacks in the country were in attendance for the event, including reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson, Wyoming's Josh Allen, USC's Sam Darnold, Washington's Jake Browning, Georgia's Jacob Eason, Arkansas' Austin Allen and Mississippi State's Nick Fitzgerald. Hurts, though, was "definitely in the top tier of guys" throwing-wise during the four-day event, according to Woo.

"I expect him to have a big year," Woo said.