2020 NFL mock draft: Panthers pick Washington QB in second round

In the second round of Luke Easterling’s latest 2020 mock draft, he has the Panthers picking Washington quarterback Jacob Eason with the No. 43 overall pick.

With the Carolina Panthers officially eliminated from playoff contention this last week, it’s time to start focusing on the offseason and what comes next. Once again, one of the major decisions will be what to do at quarterback. Cam Newton remains the best option on the roster and he still has one year left on his contract. However, he’s coming off a foot surgery and there’s no guarantee he’ll be around next season.

Also, whoever the next head coach is might want to start over with a younger QB who fits their vision better than Newton might. If that’s the case, the draft will probably be the best place to find him.

In the second round of Draft Wire managing editor Luke Easterling’s latest 2020 mock draft, he has the Panthers picking Washington quarterback Jacob Eason with the No. 43 overall pick.

Eason (6-foot-6, 227 pounds) started his college career at Georgia, but he lost the starting QB job to Jake Fromm in 2017. Eason transferred to Washington. He’s completed 63.8% of his passes for the Huskies this year, averaging 7.8 yards per pass attempt and posting a 144.8 passer rating. He has thrown 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Numbers can only tell us so much, though. Let’s take a look at the tape.

Eason vs. Oregon

Eason vs. California

Eason vs. Utah

Eason vs. Arizona

Eason vs. BYU

Like Newton, Eason could stand to put more touch on his passes and use his lower body more in his throwing motion. He has the arm talent to drive the ball to any part of the field, though. Critics will point to his lack of consistency and experience (28 games).

We still hope to see Newton in a Carolina uniform next year. If that doesn’t happen, taking Eason or another QB prospect on Day 2 is a good idea.

Kyle Allen is a strong backup option. He’s not a starting level quarterback at this point, though. This year’s third-round pick Will Grier could be the next Joe Montana or the next Geno Smith for all we know. It’s impossible to tell what his potential is since he hasn’t seen any live game action yet. However, Grier looked like he wasn’t pro ready during the preseason, so that’s another point in favor of drafting a quarterback in 2020.

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