The Tennessee Titans have question marks surrounding the quarterback position with the practically guaranteed departure of backup Marcus Mariota and the uncertainty surrounding whether or not Ryan Tannehill will return.
If Tannehill isn’t back in Nashville for the 2020 season, the team will look to free agency and the draft to find his replacement.
And if he is the Titans’ starter in the upcoming season, Tennessee will need to put someone it can be comfortable with behind him.
Former Washington Huskies quarterback Jacob Eason, who has been connected to the Titans in mock drafts, could come into play.
Here’s a complete breakdown of the signal-caller.
Pros
Eason is a solid choice for teams looking for a promising quarterback of the future in the first or second round, and certainly has the size at 6-foot-6 and 227 pounds.
The transfer from Georgia completed 64.2 percent of his passes for 3,132 yards with 23 touchdowns and low total of eight interceptions last year — so it’s clear he’s careful with the football and makes good decisions for the most part.
His arm strength is a huge plus, and he’s shown the ability to confidently place the ball where it needs to be even if his receiver isn’t wide-open right then.
Here’s who showed out — and who should have stayed home — during Thursday’s scouting combine drills.
The scouting combine is but one element of the evaluation process for any draft prospect, though it’s an incredibly important one. If you blow it in team interviews or on the field for drills, it can absolutely affect your stock. And we all have our favorite combine performers whose feats put them in a different stratosphere in the eyes of NFL teams.
With that in mind, here’s who showed out — and perhaps who should have stayed home — during the Thursday combine drills that featured quarterbacks, tight ends, and receivers.
Winners
Jalen Hurts, QB, Alabama/Oklahoma
(Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports)
Hurts transferred from Alabama to Oklahoma following Tua Tagovailoa’s ascent with the Crimson Tide, and put up a career yards per attempt average of 9.1, and 80 touchdowns to 20 interceptions in two of the most schematically rigorous NCAA offenses. Still, concerns about his defensive recognition and hesitation when his first read is covered will linger.
Hurts did as much as he could to eliminate those issues in Indianapolis, running a 4.59 40-yard dash — the second-fastest time for any quarterback behind Hawaii’s Cole McDonald — and showing off-season work in the passing drills.
Hurts looked good on the short and intermediate throws that required timing and anticipation, but I was especially impressed by his ability to throw deep balls with touch, arc, timing, and accuracy. There are those who will tell you that Hurts could succeed in a dual role like a Taysom Hill. I think Hurts has developed beyond that. He may not be an immediate starter, but Hurts has the potential to put it all together in more than a gimmicky future.
Chase Claypool. WR/TE, Notre Dame
(Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)
On Monday, Claypool measured at 6-foot-4 and 238 pounds, with a 9 7/8″ hand size, 32 4/8″ arm length, and an 80-inch wingspan. Claypool’s body type has a lot of NFL people thinking of moving him to a “Y” tight end, removed from the formation in a Travis Kelce style.
“I really haven’t put a lot of thought into that because I’ve been a receiver this whole time,” Claypool said this week. “But it’s something that I think could add versatility to my game. Right now, I’m just focused on being the best receiver I can be.”
Well, it worked out on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium, as Claypool ran a 4.42 40-yard dash and put together a 40.5-inch vertical jump and a 126-inch broad jump. This particular statistic puts Claypool’s evening in perspective.
Notre Dame wide receiver Chase Claypool was one of the biggest winners of the day, finishing with a 97 Athleticism Score per the Next Gen Stats Draft Model.
At 6'4, 238 lbs, Claypool ran a 4.42 40-yard dash, the only WR over 230 lbs to break 4.45 since Calvin Johnson (2007). pic.twitter.com/piL2rydCV9
If you’re in Megatron’s class, that’s a good landmark going forward.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Michigan
(Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)
The combine worked out very well for Peoples-Jones, who caught 103 passes for 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns over three years for the Wolverines in a limited passing offense. While he struggled to gain separation on the field, Peoples-Jones set himself apart with his measurements on this field.
This won’t eliminate the questions about his game tape, but it’ll have people talking more about him as more than a career backup.
Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
(Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)
Before he ran his drills on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium, Justin Jefferson got a little moral support from his quarterback — a guy whose name may be familiar.
Joe Burrow making sure his guy Justin Jefferson is ready ✊🐯
Yeah, well, it worked. Jefferson, who exploded in 2019 with 111 catches for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns in LSU’s national championship campaign last season, continued that momentum with a 4.43 40-yard dash at 6-foot-1 and 202 pounds. He also posted a 37.5-inch vertical jump and a 126-inch broad jump.
Moreover, Jefferson was aggressive and definitive when making his catches, especially in the gauntlet drill. Jefferson came into this environment with an obvious confidence that permeated his performance, and he likely made himself some money tonight, because everything you saw in the drills transfers to the tape.
Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
At 6-foot-3 and 207 pounds, Mims established himself through four years at Baylor as one of the most aggressive deep threats and blocking receivers in the nation. He caught 186 passes for 2,925 yards and 28 touchdowns, and though the drop rate spoke to some focus issues through his collegiate career, there was no questioning his focus during the combine drills. Mims had a 38.5-inch vertical leap and a 10’11” broad jump, and both of his 40 times were in the 4.4 radius. Mims will have to develop his route tree beyond slants and go routes at the NFL level, but he did a lot to establish his athletic potential here in Indianapolis — especially after his strong Senior Bowl week.
Jacob Eason reflects on Georgia football at NFL combine
Jacob Eason spoke to the NFL combine media about his time at UGA.
The University of Georgia was an early adapter of the graduate transfer rule, as Greyson Lambert had graduated from Virginia and came to UGA with two years of eligibly remaining, since he had not played as a freshman. He was a one-year starter at quarterback, starting all but the Florida game debacle, the final year of the Mark Richt era. He went 11-2 at UGA in total, as he started the first game of the Kirby Smart era, which was played in Atlanta against UNC. Supremely talented top pocket passer recruit Jacob Eason, out of exurban Washington, was called on by Smart to win that game off the bench as a true freshman and never looked back…until he did.
Sep 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jacob Eason (10) looks to pass as center Brandon Kublanow (54) blocks North Carolina Tar Heels defensive tackle Jalen Dalton (97) during the 2016 Chick-Fil-A Kickoff game at Georgia Dome. Georgia won 33-24. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Hearing him reflect on his somewhat turbulent time at Georgia was interesting, as I was so close to the program. “I had a tremendous two and a half years,” he said of the time. “Georgia was a great place for me.”
His biggest moment may have been in defeat, the bomb to Riley Ridley in the Georgia-Tennessee game in Athens, before their Hail Mary.
When Jake Fromm similarly replaced Eason in the next year’s opening game, after a fairly shabby 8-5 campaign – this time as the incumbent starter Eason was injured – Eason’s career in Athens was all but over.
Oct 7, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jake Fromm (11) and quarterback Jacob Eason (10) high five as Eason enters the game during the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
“But that’s the thing about being a quarterback, you can only play one on the field at a time. There isn’t an opportunity to play three or four like a receiver or a running back…go elsewhere and try to compete elsewhere.”
I remember Eason talking publicly about starting at UGA as freshman, when he was a junior in high school. So, him leaving Washington early was no real surprise. I did feel he would have ultimately benefited from staying though, because for two years he had played so sparingly, not at all in one of them. Then, the team took a step back in his lone year starting.
At Washington, Eason had had to sit out a year to gain eligibility, while Washington completed a rather successful three-year run. Under Eason, the Huskies fell to 8-5.
Eason did put up decent numbers and a big yardage total. Now he’s a pro.
NFL Combine measurement results for every Georgia football.
This week, a number of former Georgia players are in Indianapolis for the 2020 NFL Combine, where they will be partaking in measurements, on-field workouts, team interviews and medical examinations.
So far, every player minus J.R. Reed has gone through the measurement portion of the week, and we have all results listed for you below.
Here is this week’s schedule for Georgia’s 10 players in attendance.
(Note, Georgia has no players in group 3 — Just 1, 2 and 4.)
Group 1: (Fromm, Cager, Woerner)
Sunday, Feb. 23: Arrive in Indy, Registration, Orientation, Interviews
Monday, Feb. 24: Measurements, Pre-exam at hospital, Interviews
Tuesday, Feb. 25: Media session, Medical exams, Position coach interviews, Psychological testing
Sunday, March 1: Limited testing, On-field Workout
Monday, March 2: Departure from Indianapolis
Here are the measurement results from the nine players so far:
Jake Fromm
Jan 6, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jake Fromm (11) speaks during media day at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports
Georgia’s Jake Fromm has received his 2020 NFL Combine measurements. Fromm’s hand size, which is under nine inches, is somewhat concerning. Nine inches is considered the minimum hand size for an NFL quarterback.
Here’s how both Jake Fromm and Washington Huskies QB Jacob Eason measured at the combine:
Ultimately, hand size doesn’t have much correlation with cold weather performance and fumbles, so it shouldn’t drop Fromm too far. That being said, Fromm doesn’t have the measurables of the other elite quarterbacks in the 2020 NFL Draft.
LSU’s Joe Burrow did have nine inch hands as well. He’ll still be the first pick of the NFL Draft. One-eighth of an inch shouldn’t make too much of a difference for UGA’s Jake Fromm.
Former Georgia QB Jacob Eason could surge up NFL draft boards.
Former University of Georgia football starting quarterback Jacob Eason declared for the NFL draft after one year starting for the University of Washington Huskies, back in his home state. Indications are that his measurable qualities may push him up some teams’ draft boards.
In a feature article, Mike Silver, a columnist for NFL.com, ruminated on Eason’s interesting path through college football to the combine, ultimately lumping him in the second-tier of current NFL draftees, “…that includes Utah State’s Jordan Love and, yes, Georgia’s Fromm.”
Oct 7, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jake Fromm (11) and quarterback Jacob Eason (10) high five as Eason enters the game during the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Joe Burrow, Tua Tagoviloa and Justin Herbert are fairly consensus 1-2-3 as far as quarterbacks at the top. I personally projected Fromm fourth with Eason fifth, in an earlier piece for UGA Wire.
At the time of the switch at UGA from coach Mark Richt to Kirby Smart, retaining top recruit Eason in Athens was considered the biggest “get” of the first recruiting class Smart had as a head coach. Eason had flirted with the Florida Gators and made a late visit to Gainesville, Fla., before honoring his earlier verbal commitment to UGA.
In the opening contest of the season versus UNC in Atlanta, Eason came off the bench in replacement of incumbent starter Greyson Lambert, who was struggling to get passes off. Eason won the game, which saw Nick Chubb run for 222 yards in his first game back from injury. Eason never yielded the position that year, going just 8-5 as a starter at UGA.
Georgia running back Nick Chubb (27) is hoisted in the air by offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn scoring a touchdown for a 31-0 lead against Appalachian State on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. Georgia won, 31-10. (Photo by Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS/Sipa USA)
That mark as starter includes the first game of the next season, when Eason was injured and replaced by Fromm, who went on to lead Georgia to seasonal win totals of: 13, 11, 12, before declaring for the NFL.
An unnamed NFC head coach is quoted in the article as saying of Eason, “He partied hard early, but he has matured.”
I actually ran into him out the night before the 11 a.m.-kick Liberty Bowl in Memphis. His cocky attitude on display, long flowing hair, tight Euro suit and reputation for being out late struck me as potentially problematic for a young team leader, of a then-struggling program.
He can fling it. Eason has that tall stature of a classic pocket passer and a very strong arm, throws a tight spiral and can drop balls in at times. NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said, “With Eason, teams are literally all over the map.”
My primary concern with him is his low winning percentage. Georgia won 10 three years in a row before he got the nod, as a true freshman. Washington was coming off winning 12, 10 and 10 in three years.
He went just 8-5, and then he skipped a would-be senior season.
The New England Patriots need offensive weapons after a down year. Quarterback Tom Brady had one of his worst statistical seasons in just about every passing category. And so as he is set to enter free agency, he seems to be patiently waiting for New England to signal it is going to prioritize helping him this offseason.
That will surely start in free agency, when the Patriots will be attempting to re-sign Brady while adding a handful of other skill players. But it will continue in the 2020 NFL Draft. So with the NFL combine taking place in Indianapolis this week, here are some offensive skill players who may interest the Patriots.
1. Jordan Love, QB, Utah
The quarterback is so physically talented that he’s likely to be off the board when the Patriots pick. But in the event he falls within range of a trade — or even surprisingly to New England at 23rd overall — then the Patriots best be prepared. Love’s talent isn’t in question, but the Patriots will want to run him through a thorough examination of his mental aptitude and his ability to take coaching. He’s got a lot of upside, but in order to reach his full potential, he needs to prove himself a type of player who the Patriots can mold. And surely, he’ll need to address his marijuana possession charge in December.
2. Jacob Eason, QB, Washington
There’s significant character questions about Eason and his maturity, per The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. Can Eason assuage those concerns this week?
3. Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia
I pegged Fromm as a strong candidate for New England, though it’s not totally clear where he might fall in the draft. Perhaps the Patriots would be so bold as to take him in the first round. Perhaps they’d be willing to trade back in the second round to take him there. He’s not like Love — Fromm doesn’t have physical gifts that wow. But he has been a solid starter for three years at Georgia, and has delivered big wins throughout his career against some of the SEC’s top defenses. That goes a long way in Bill Belichick’s evaluation of a player. Perhaps poise and accuracy can help Fromm take the next step in the NFL, even without the strongest arm in his draft class.
Georgia’s Jake Fromm has received his 2020 NFL Combine measurements. Fromm’s hand size, which is under nine inches, is somewhat concerning.
Georgia’s Jake Fromm has received his 2020 NFL Combine measurements. Fromm’s hand size, which is under nine inches, is somewhat concerning. Nine inches is considered the minimum hand size for an NFL quarterback.
Here’s how both Jake Fromm and Washington Huskies QB Jacob Eason measured at the combine:
Ultimately, hand size doesn’t have much correlation with cold weather performance and fumbles, so it shouldn’t drop Fromm too far. That being said, Fromm doesn’t have the measurables of the other elite quarterbacks in the 2020 NFL Draft.
LSU’s Joe Burrow did have nine inch hands as well. He’ll still be the first pick of the NFL Draft. One-eighth of an inch shouldn’t make too much of a difference for UGA’s Jake Fromm.
See why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should be keeping a close eye on Washington QB Jacob Eason at the NFL Scouting Combine.
While Jameis Winston competed in an epic singing battle with his son this week, it remains to be seen whether or not the quarterback will be competing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next year.
The Bucs still haven’t officially made a decision on Winston’s future yet, at least no publicly. A roller-coaster 2019 season by the former Heisman Trophy winner did little to convince the team he’s the long-term answer at the position.
While Bruce Arians has said the team is waiting to see if there’s a “better option” at QB in free agency, this week’s NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis will provide the Bucs a chance to see this year’s crop of QBs up close and personal. One quarterback in particular they should be keeping an eye on is Jacob Eason of Washington. At 6-foot-6 nearly 230 pounds, he’s a big arm QB who could thrive under Bruce Arians. This past season he threw for 3,132 yards with 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions at Washington.
“Herbert’s a big guy with a big arm, and Eason’s bigger and got a better arm. This combine thing should be good for him.”
One mock draft already has Eason going to the Bucs at the 14th spot, citing the fact that Eason has some “Carson Palmer vibes.” If Tampa Bay likes what they see in Eason, would they willing to use their top pick to grab him?
While the Bears have many roster needs this offseason (TE, OL, CB, S), they cannot ignore the quarterback position in the 2020 NFL Draft.
We’re roughly two months into the Bears offseason, and the main topic of conversation has revolved around the quarterback situation. And rightfully so.
Mitchell Trubisky is entering his fourth season with Chicago, and the Bears haven’t gotten the results they were expecting. While the entire Bears offense struggled in 2019, Trubisky was a big reason why. Trubisky regressed mightily in his third season, and his future has been called into question.
While many mock drafts have had the Bears targeting other position groups of need like tight end, offensive line and defensive back, Bleacher Report warns that the Bears shouldn’t ignore the quarterback position in the 2020 NFL Draft.
The Chicago Bears do not have a first-round selection because of their trade to acquire Khalil Mack. Therefore, it may be hard to land a quarterback who could challenge Mitchell Trubisky for the starting job. However, the Bears should still consider a signal-caller if the opportunity to get one presents itself.
If Chicago believes a second-round prospect such as Georgia’s Jake Fromm can upgrade the position, it has to make the pick. Sticking by Trubisky would be a big mistake.
While you figure the Bears will be interested in drafting a young quarterback, exactly which round remains to be seen. If the Bears decide to use one of their second round picks on a young signal caller, they could possibly target players like Utah State’s Jordan Love, Georgia’s Jake Fromm or Washington’s Jacob Eason.
Chicago could also wait until the later rounds to draft a developmental prospect, perhaps Washington State’s Anthony Gordon, Colorado’s Steven Montez or Florida International’s James Morgan.
It’s true that the Bears have multiple areas of need on their roster. But one of the biggest is quarterback, which means Chicago must do their due diligence in fixing the position in every way possible.
Jake Fromm of Georgia football all over NFL mock draft boards
Three-year starter Jake Fromm led UGA football teams which won 13, 11 and 12 games and reached the SEC championship game three years in a row, after a triple of excellent 11-1 regular seasons. He exits Georgia as perhaps the most successful quarterback in school history, looking at these standards, although the peak for team success was back in his true freshman, national runner-up, SEC championship season. Fromm did not throw a whole lot as a freshman, though, the fabled Georgia ground game pounding the way.
I have seen Fromm all over mock draft boards since the start of his junior season, from late in the first round, to well into the second round, to the third.
Sources told me his NFL stock surged highest after the SECCG of 2018, when he threw more and displayed deft touch, almost unseating Alabama in the rematch. Without an experienced receiving core in 2019 and with now-departed offensive coordinator James Coley leaning on D’Andre Swift and calling predictable plays, Fromm struggled late in the season. His NFL readiness clearly came into question, and he has never had the strongest arm. He is an excellent leader and fine young man, a tough dude, a gamer.
Dec 7, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jake Fromm (11) is sacked by LSU Tigers safety Grant Delpit (7) during the first half in the 2019 SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Getting blown out by eventual national champion LSU and taking this tough tackle had to have played into his decision not to return for a senior season, with four offensive line starters also not coming back. Fromm still had fairly good numbers when wide receiver Lawrence Cager was healthy, and he played well in the Sugar Bowl win over Baylor as wideout George Pickens finally fully came into his own and won offensive bowl MVP.
The Fromm era ended with lots of heartbreaking disappointments and some bright spots. He has the all-time completion percentage record at the University of Georgia. That is a hard stat to top, when you also look at all those wins he captained, with different key guys around him.
He may be the fourth quarterback taken, after Joe Burrows from LSU, Tua Tagoviloa from Bama and Justin Herbert from Oregon. He will probably go one QB slot ahead of his one-time UGA backup, Jacob Eason. The New England Patriots reportedly like Fromm, and he could be teamed up with my favorite Georgia player of the coach Kirby Smart era, Sony Michel.
