Washington Huskies’ Quarterback, Jacob Eason is solidifying himself as an elite prospect in the upcoming NFL Draft.
It has been three years since the Rivals’ 2016 top prospect from Lake Stevens High School chose to play for the University of Georgia. As a true freshman at Georgia, Eason threw for 16 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, and nearly 2500 yards in 13 games. During that season, Eason displayed the most talent from the quarterback position that Georgia had seen since Matthew Stafford. Eason led the team to an 8-5 record and a second-place finish in the SEC East under new head coach Kirby Smart. Poised for a breakout season, Eason’s following season was cut short after suffering an ankle injury after 7 pass attempts on the season. Eason was expected to return after 3 weeks, but unfortunately never started another game at Georgia, losing the starting job to freshman Jake Fromm.
After the 2017 season, Eason entered the transfer portal and ultimately decided to enroll at the University of Washington. Although the NCAA requires transfers to sit for a season and not play in games or travel with the team, transfers are still eligible to practice and train with their new team. During his season away from the game, many seemed to forget the arm talent that Eason possessed and therefore were still skeptical of his ability to develop into a greater talent at the next level. However, during that time off the field when Eason was not taking reps in game, he was developing his craft and it should not go unnoticed.
As a freshman, Eason averaged 6.6 yards per attempt while completing just 55.1% of his passes. Now, as a Junior, Eason averages 8.5 yards per attempt while completing 67.4% of his passes through eight games. Completion percentage can be misleading, however, showing that his passes are being thrown further can be attributed to the development of the young gunslinger. As a prospect that once drew comparisons to Matthew Stafford, one of the best and most consistent quarterbacks currently in the NFL, both still somehow fly under the radar.
Looking back at tape from Eason’s freshman campaign it was easy to see the arm talent he possessed. Eason knew his arm talent gave him an advantage on any level of the field. In high school, Eason might have been able to stare receivers down as he did in this play against TCU and be successful, but at the collegiate and pro levels, this method will not work. Notice how the wheel route to the running back is left wide open that would have been an easy touchdown. However, as a freshman, Eason consistently stared down receivers and would not cycle through his progressions.
The year off the field aided in the development of his eyes and how Eason processes the field. In this play against California, Eason quickly and efficiently scans through his progressions and is able to dump the ball off to the tight end.
Furthermore, Eason has developed an ability to look off defenders in order to create space for his receivers, a trait that he rarely showed at Georgia. Eason has learned that a strong arm is an amazing tool, but without developing his vision and processing, it limits himself as a passer. In the following play against Eastern Washington, Eason holds the safety with his eyes in order to ensure his receiver is wide open for the touchdown.
Normally, with gunslingers such as Eason, ball placement is a concern that tends to show up often. However, Eason shows phenomenal placement of the ball and even displays the ability to put some touch on the ball despite his strong arm. Eason displays excellent placement on the back shoulder throw and anticipation on the route which results in a touchdown for his team.
Some critics will say that Eason does not do well under pressure, which can be warranted. Under pressure, Eason tends to overthrow receivers. Eason also has a habit of holding the ball much longer than he should in an attempt to find an open man downfield. Although it can be criticized, there are some positive traits that can be observed in uncomfortable situations demonstrated by Jacob Eason. Eason has shown tremendous poise in the pocket in many different situations.
In the following play, Eason corrals a poor snap and immediately directs his eyes down field, making an amazing read. Although he overthrows his receiver for the would be touchdown, Eason’s ability to maintain focused on the field is a trait that some young quarterbacks struggle with. Eason has developed his game in other areas over the past year and I expect continual improvement in the right coaching situation.
The last couple of plays I want to highlight are some of the best throws any quarterback can make and the reason why Eason is currently my top quarterback through week six of the 2019 season. From the opposite hash, Eason throws a back shoulder ball outside the numbers for a large gain and then a touchdown. This is an elite level throw that separates Eason from the rest and should make him a top NFL prospect in the upcoming NFL draft.
Eason’s arm talent is undeniable, showing the ability to make any throw at every level of the field. Eason has shown his ability to develop as a passer and not rely solely on his arm, but also his eyes to make plays happen. The 6-6, 230 pound quarterback has all of the traits to be elite at the next level. There are however a few areas of his game that can be improved on in order to make the transition to the NFL much smoother. First, I would like to see him command the offense post huddle. Eason looks to the sideline for plays and assurance in how to manipulate blocking schemes at the line of scrimmage. NFL quarterbacks need to possess this ability to be consistent at the next level. I am not overly concerned about Eason not being able to develop this trait, as he has shown an ability to develop as a quarterback.
There are many things to love about Eason as a prospect and I believe that the progress that Eason has made as a passer gets lost behind the hype of other prospects, and because this is the first time we are seeing Eason play in over a year. Eason is a different quarterback than when he was at the University of Georgia. He is more than just a big armed QB. Eason is the real deal.
