5-Star QB Jacob Eason to Decide Between Georgia and Florida Next Week

The battle between SEC rivals Florida and Georgia over 5-star quarterback Jacob Eason will come to an end next week.

Jeff Sentell of DawgNation reports that Eason—who has been committed to the Bulldogs since July 2014—will take a visit to Athens this weekend and then mull things over with his family before making a final decision shortly afterward.

Eason visited Florida last week in the immediate aftermath of the Bulldogs' letting go of head coach Mark Richt.

But, after new Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart flew to Washington to meet with Eason on Monday, his visit this weekend will give the ‘Dawgs the last crack at holding on to what could be their quarterback of the future.

However, there are a few reasons that it’s far from a lock that Eason will stick to his original pledge.

For starters, Smart has yet to name his offensive coordinator—which is something he addressed with Eason and his family during his visit.

Smart was up-front with Eason in telling him that a hire may not be made by the time he's ready to decide.

“He didn’t guarantee anything,” Eason told Sentell. “He is going to take the time—I think it is a good idea—to make sure he gets the right guy for Georgia and to really develop me and all that stuff.”

With Eason being an early enrollee, he will be on a college campus next month beginning the next chapter of his career.

The coaching turnover with the Bulldogs has proved to be a bump in the road, but Eason is keeping an open mind about his options.

“I never really felt down about UGA,” Eason said. “I was just trying to figure out who they were going to hire and all that stuff and they got a good one. We’ll wait to see who he gets at (offensive coordinator) and we will go from there.”

The Gators are an intriguing option for Eason due to an appealing depth chart.

With the murky status surrounding former starter Will Grier and Treon Harris entering his junior year, Eason could realistically have a chance to compete for the starting spot during the spring.

Additionally, Gators head coach Jim McElwain has a noted history in grooming quarterbacks, such as former Alabama star AJ McCarron and former Colorado State passer Garrett Grayson—who are both currently in the NFL.

Either the Gators will land a prized passer while delivering a piercing blow to one of their chief rivals or the Bulldogs will hold onto its most prized 2016 pledge and make a run toward a top-rated class.

With his timeline to make a decision dwindling by the day, the fortunes of each school’s 2016 class hangs in the balance.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow @SanjayKirpalani