Jacob Eason is draft-eligible as a junior and may see his stock rise after the injury to Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovalioa. His decision on whether to return to Washington for his senior year will be one of the more interesting late-season storylines.
Name: Jacob Eason
Position: Quarterback
College: Washington
Height: 6’5’’
Weight: 227
Draft Grade: Early third round
Draft Projection: First to second round
Scout Talk: Washington Quarterback Jacob Eason
Athletic Ability
The film shows Eason is athletic enough to avoid the pass rush and to pick up yards when they are available. He probably doesn’t have the best straight-line speed, but he is a capable runner. He qualifies as a good athlete, especially when considering his frame.
Competitiveness
Eason is a tough player who isn’t afraid to fight for extra yards when he is running with the football. He keeps his head up after a rash of drops by his receiving core and carries himself with poise. His consistency can wane in pressure moments, but that hasn’t kept him from producing at a high level while starting.
Mental Alertness
Despite slight consistency problems in key moments, big games do not seem to rattle him. His issues come from the more mechanical side. He plays as his teammates describe him: calm and collected. He shouldn’t have issues learning an offense at the next level.
Strength/Durability
He suffered a knee injury during his sophomore year before transferring from the University of Georgia. While that shouldn’t raise too many alarms, it is a point of reference. He healed quickly and hasn’t had injury issues since. Eason has the frame to add more muscle if he wishes to help him deal with the hits an NFL quarterback will have to deal with. Plays with good strength in the pocket.
Position Skill
He has good mechanics, yet they can improve and unveil even more arm strength. Eason has a great arm which allows him to often make throws flat-footed and when his feet are chopping. He is lethal in the short passing game, very good intermediate, and good with the long ball. He loses accuracy at times due to his feet and hip mechanics, showing mostly on intermediate and deep throws. He shows the ability to read a defense but does stare down receivers at times. Eason can make careless throws now and then, but it isn’t a huge problem. With his arm talent, ability to move in the pocket, and willingness to improvise he is a big play waiting to happen if he can extend a play or a receiver gets a nice degree of separation.
Overall
My mathematical grade for Eason is the top of the third round. However, if he decides to enter this year’s draft, I project he will be a first- or second-round selection. He has the ceiling to be a very good NFL starting quarterback, which should cause teams to take a chance on him on the first or second day of the draft depending on his combine and workouts. The injury to Tagovalioa will likely lead to teams valuing Eason more. Eason’s high ceiling, athleticism in the pocket, laser arm, and even flow demeanor will impress scouts during the evaluation process. All his weaknesses can see improvement under good coaching at the next level. At the worst, I see him being a top of the third-tier (four tiers) quarterback who could be an average starting player or a top-shelf backup.
