Going into the 2020 NFL Draft, everyone knew that the Indianapolis Colts were looking at drafting a quarterback.
The current starter, Phillip Rivers, is on a one-year deal at the age of 38.
It was time to start building towards the future, and the Colts did that in the fourth round.
When Washington quarterback Jacob Eason was drafted, the Colts believed he had the best arm talent out of everyone in the class.
More specifically, head coach Frank Reich really liked what he saw.
Reich’s Comments
Reich told Kevin Hickey of USA Today that the Colts really liked his arm talent.
Yeah, I think his arm talent was probably the best in the draft as far as quarterbacks go,” said head coach Frank Reich. “What I liked about his arm talent is he can throw it on a rope, he can throw it long, he can throw with touch, he can change the speed on the ball and he can deliver from different arm angles.”
Eason does have struggles though, which is why he wasn’t drafted in the first round.
Scouts have credited Eason for having a lack of mobility, which makes him a project for the Colts.
However, the team believes that Eason has a higher ceiling than ex-starter Jacoby Brissett, which is why the team made the pick.
“The accuracy was fine, he needs to get better. His footwork needs to get better. Reading through his progressions needs to get better,” Reich said. “There are a lot of things that need work, but physically he has a lot of the tools.”
The Plan
The perfect scenario is Eason does not play in the NFL this season.
It would allow him to study under one of the top quarterbacks statistically to ever play the game.
The only way that Eason would see the field is if both Rivers and Brissett go down with an injury.
However, in the end, the Colts are hopeful that he can tap into his high ceiling as a passer and become a contributor down the line.
Jacob Eason is the 2nd QB from Washington taken by the Colts in the Common Draft Era.
In the 1988 3rd Round, they took Chris Chandler. Chandler went 9-4 as a starter as a rookie, and made 2 Pro Bowls (both of those came as a Falcon). pic.twitter.com/F78DsPsVxb
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 25, 2020
The Numbers At Washington
Eason finished 2019 with 3,132 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
The numbers may not be glamorous, but Eason is a pro-style quarterback that would fit into the current offensive schema.
One NFL draft analyst also sees professional abilities from Eason.
“These are the types of throws that excite you about Washington QB Jacob Eason,” via Senior NFL Draft Analyst Jordan Reid. “He has the confidence that he can fit a football through a key hole. Reminds me a lot of Matthew Stafford.”
If the Colts were able to go from Rivers to a player like Stafford, it certainly wouldn’t be the worst transition in the world.
