Drafting Jacob Eason At No. 122 Overall Is A Low-Risk, High-Reward Move By Colts

“I’m not going to force it, much to everybody’s dismay. And it might drive everybody nuts, but I’m not going to force it.”

Indianapolis Colts GM Chris Ballard said those words to the local media less than a week before the 2020 NFL Draft officially kicked off.

This quote held true all throughout Round 1 as Utah State quarterback Jordan Love continued to slide down the board. The Green Bay Packers eventually moved up to No. 25 overall to snag Love, while Ballard was in his makeshift war room eating popcorn all night long.

It was obvious that Indianapolis didn’t view Love as a potential franchise quarterback and it seemed likely they were going to bypass quarterback prospects altogether until pick No. 122 arrived.

When Jacob Eason saw a 317 area code pop up on his phone, he knew his draft slide was coming to an end. As Eason told reporters after being selected, Indianapolis was the team who stayed in contact with him most throughout the pre-draft process.

Eason possesses high-end traits many quarterback coaches salivate over. He has the rocket arm that can make any throw across the field. At 6’6”, 231 pounds Eason also checks the prototypical box for size seen in pocket passers. Physical and mental toughness, two traits Colts head coach Frank Reich has openly mentioned, are also represented in Eason’s tool bag.

“I love the arm,” Ballard said during a staff pre-draft meeting we were able to see a glimpse of. “He has moments of really good accuracy.”

Last season at the University of Washington, Eason threw for 3,132 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions while completing 64.2 percent of his passes. In games where Eason had a +62 COMP%, the Huskies were 6-1 as Eason carried a 17:1 touchdown to interception ratio. However, it turned ugly when Eason wasn’t on his A-game as Washington finished 2-4 when he completed under 62%. The former 5-star recruit threw more interceptions (7) than touchdowns (6) in those six outings.

Entering his NFL career, there’s zero pressure on Eason to produce during his rookie season. It’s the opposite. The opportunity to learn from a quarterback like Philip Rivers is a dream come true for Eason. Over the next two years — both Rivers and Indianapolis want to do another 1-year deal if all goes well in 2020 — Eason will be able to watch and soak in all the information Rivers and Reich provide him.

As Eason mentioned last Saturday while wearing a Colts hat for the first time, he couldn’t think of a better situation to begin his professional career. Reich, a former QB himself, plus Rivers is a dream combination for any developmental prospect stepping into a meeting room.

“Saw this guy make a couple throws on tape and I said oh my goodness,” Reich said before selecting Eason. “He makes a couple throws you just don’t see.”

Right now, Eason is the only quarterback under contract for Indianapolis in 2021. Making around $4 million over the next four years, it’s an eye-opening experience for Eason but one he must take advantage of. All the pressure is on the former No. 1 recruit’s shoulders to fix his flaws. Everything else is in place for him to thrive long-term with the Colts.

Ballard also made it a point to not pump up Eason as the future face of the franchise as a fourth-round selection. Eason will be competing with Chad Kelly for the third-string spot behind Rivers and Jacoby Brissett.

Indianapolis rolling the dice on Eason is truly is a low-risk, high-reward scenario for all parties involved. If the former Washington Husky signal-caller becomes their answer for the next decade-plus, what a home run this pick was. If Eason fails to take advantage of the opportunity presented in front of him, the Colts can quickly move on without a hitch at their leisure.