The Indianapolis Colts waited until the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft to make a move at quarterback but when they did, they chose to go with Washington’s Jacob Eason.
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Blessed with elite size and arm strength, Eason has a very high ceiling. He has a volatile range of outcomes given the aspects of his game that need improvement, but the Colts were intrigued enough to spend a Day 3 pick on him.
What caught the Colts’ attention was the arm talent he brings to the field, which they believe was the best in the class.
“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.”
Arm talent isn’t everything. If it was, Eason would have been a first-round pick. His lack of mobility and consistent ball placement make him a project for the Colts. The ceiling is there if the Colts can develop him behind Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett, but there are plenty of areas that need improvement.
“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.”
If all goes according to plan, Eason won’t see the field during his rookie campaign. If he does, it is likely that injury befell both Rivers and Brissett.
Eason certainly has a high ceiling because of what he can do as a passer. The Colts are hoping to tap into that while developing his game so they can take advantage of using the best arm talent in the draft class.
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