The Indianapolis Colts finally got their quarterback of the foreseeable future in the fourth round with their selection of Jacob Eason in the 2020 NFL draft.
As a guy many had on the Colts draft board, this pick does not come as much of a surprise. What does come as a surprise is that Eason fell to the fourth round, but it seems that may stem from some character issues.
Chris Ballard did not have to trade any picks and waited patiently for his pick of mid-level quarterbacks. Here are four things to know about the Colts new QB in Eason:
1. From a Bulldog to a Husky
Eason was a 5-star recruit out of Lake Stevens, Washington in 2015. He committed to Georgia and was the highest rating UGA quarterback recruit since Matt Stafford, who is an idol to Eason. He would leave Georgia in 2017 after he injured his knee during his sophomore season, and the Bulldogs decided to stick with Jacob Fromm who was just coming off a national championship birth.
Eason showed promise during his time with the Bulldogs, but the injury and subsequent success of Fromm, who will be drafted after Eason, forced him to enter the transfer portal and find a new school.
2. Patiently waited to shine
After sitting out a year because of transfer rules, Eason won the starting job for the Huskies in 2019. He threw for over 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns while adding three scores on the ground as well. The junior quarterback decided to declare for the NFL draft after 2019. Eason brings big arm talent and poised pocket presence to the Colts and will fit in with Frank Reich. How long he will have to wait for his time to shine in the NFL will be determined soon enough.
Eason will sit behind 38-year-old starter Philip Rivers and backup Jacoby Brissett, both of which are under contract only for the 2020 season. Just as he waited in college for his time after a transfer, Eason will have to wait and work in the quarterback room while developing his skills.
3. Cool, calm and collected
Speaking of poise, Eason has been noted for his calm composure both on and off the field. As a 6-foot-5 towering athlete, he struggles to blend into a crowd, but he knows that standing out is not the way to demand respect. “Respect is a big thing for me. ‘You can’t get respect if you don’t give respect’ is one of things I like to think about, too,” said Eason as a college recruit.
The Colts are hoping that Eason will be bring that calm demeanor to the pocket, especially considering one of the knocks on him as a prospect is the fact that he struggles with pressure.
4. Even distribution across the field
Eason is known for his strong arm, but his accuracy and pass distribution is equally as impressive. The only other quarterback in this draft class that had a higher rate of distribution of passes was Joe Burrow. Eason finished his college career with a 60% completion rate, but was plagued with drops by his receivers at Washington. The Colts will add a nice change of pace for him.
Accuracy is one of the biggest traits that the Colts look at when considering a prospect. It can be improved slightly depending on the scheme, but they made it clear they want a prospect with an innate ability to have strong ball placement.
