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After taking skill players on Day 2, the Indianapolis Colts kicked off their Day 3 picks with the selection of Washington quarterback Jacob Eason in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft.
Quick Hits
- Transferred from Georgia to Washington. Has one year of starting experience (2019).
- Eason was Draft Wire’s No. 6 quarterback prospects in the class.
- Will have time to develop his game under Philip Rivers and with the guidance of Frank Reich.
Fit with the Colts
It was expected that the Colts were going to use one of their picks on a quarterback at some point during the draft. Eason needs a lot of work when with his game, but this is a solid situation for him. Eason has elite size and an elite arm to make every throw in the book. He isn’t mobile and will have to make his due as a pocket passer.
But Eason’s ability to throw the ball downfield and with the time to develop behind Rivers and Reich, the Washington product has a high ceiling. He will need some time, but there is a chance that Eason turns into a solid starter.
Value of the pick
Eason was projected to go much earlier than the middle of the fourth round so even if he might not be the best quarterback prospect or the most ready prospect, this is solid value on Day 3. The Colts didn’t have to trade up for him and given that he doesn’t have to start right away, he has time to work on his game to potentially reach his ceiling. The reward is higher than the risk at this draft spot.
Conclusion
The Colts had plenty of opportunities to draft Eason earlier but they must have felt the fourth round was the right value for him. Eason brings a big arm and a high ceiling, but he will need to sit for at least a year and develop his game.