Jacob Eason: Long NFL Draft Wait Was 'Disheartening'; Will 'Compete My Nuts Off'

Jacob Eason may have been disappointed by falling to the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft, but that didn't dampen his competitive spirt.

Far from it, actually.

"As soon as this virus calms down, I'm gonna go in there and compete my nuts off," Eason said in a teleconference with reporters Saturday after the Indianapolis Colts took him with the No. 122 overall selection.

Considered a potential second-round pick, Eason watched on as team after team passed him by in favor of other positions. He called his draft freefall "disheartening" but is happy he landed in Indianapolis.

While few would argue with Eason's physical tools, it's clear NFL scouts were disappointed with his game tape—and for good reason. Eason never lived up to the potential that made him 247Sports' fifth-ranked prospect in the 2016 high school class. His Georgia career ended when he was benched in favor of Jake Fromm, and his lone season at Washington resulted in mediocre results.

Eason's skill set is also a bit outdated for the modern NFL. He is an immobile quarterback who hasn't ever shown much wiggle in the pocket. While he is not a complete statue, Eason's best recent pro comp is probably Brock Osweiler—not exactly the most ringing endorsement.

On the bright side, the Colts will have ample time to bring Eason along slowly. They signed Philip Rivers to a one-year contract this offseason and still have Jacoby Brissett on their depth chart.

Rivers and Brissett are free agents after the 2020 campaign, but there's little reason to automatically assume Rivers will be one-and-done in Indianapolis. His short contract just gives both sides the freedom to move on in 2021 if they choose.

Eason will almost certainly spend the entire 2020 season on the bench, hopefully learning and developing as a passer.