Jacob Eason Isn't Just a Project, He Could Be the Colts' Future Franchise QB

Jacob Eason doesn't care about his supposed on- and off-field negatives, because the 22-year-old plans to take full advantage of a prime opportunity in Indianapolis, where the Colts don't have a quarterback under contract beyond 2020.

"As soon as this virus calms down, I am going to go in there and compete my nuts off," Eason said during an interview with WISH-TV Indianapolis' Charlie Clifford.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard chose Eason with the No. 122 pick during Saturday's fourth round of the NFL draft.

Some will view the quarterback's response as the perfect retort to naysayers. Others may argue it only feeds into the perception that he's immature.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported (h/t the Indianapolis Star's Joel A. Erickson) that some organizations flagged the former 5-star recruit for work ethic and accountability issues.

The report built upon a common theme throughout the predraft process.

"I'm going to tell you something. He's got talent," an anonymous scout told The Athletic's Bob McGinn. "He can be exceptionally accurate, but he's a hot-and-cold guy. That's the way he was at Georgia. But he's a real immature kid." 

Ballard and Co. should only care about how the 6'6", 231-pound gunslinger reacts once he's in a professional environment and how he adjusts to the team's culture, because the incoming rookie displays prodigious throwing prowess and has time to learn from one of the league's most intense, hardest-working quarterbacks.

Philip Rivers is the key in more ways than one, because beyond being a mentor, the 38-year-old has a style that will clear a path to success for Eason.

The Colts signed Rivers to a one-year, $25 million free-agent deal this offseason. Clearly, he's not a long-term option, though he could realistically play another year or two beyond 2020. Backup Jacoby Brissett has one year remaining on his deal.

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

The Colts' need and desire to draft a quarterback this year was well-known throughout league circles.

"This team has no quarterback under contract for 2021. They're drafting one," a scout told Bleacher Report's Matt Miller weeks before the event.

The situation allowed Indianapolis to properly vet Eason. This isn't a case in which a prospect surprisingly slipped and an organization took a chance on a possible falling star.

"The Colts were a team that I had more than a few great conversations with," Eason said, per ESPN's Mike Wells. "I was hoping I would get a call from them. I talked to them more than any other team."

Indianapolis is the perfect environment for Eason to not only mature and grow, but also possibly turn into the team's long-term answer at the game's most important position.

Eason's ability to throw has never been in question. The 2015-16 National Gatorade Player of the Year creates velocity with ease and spins the ball extremely well. The flamethrower consistently drives the ball down the field, to all three levels and outside the numbers.

His issues start with the nuances of playing the position.

"He's big and he's tall and he's pretty lookin'. He can throw it through a brick wall. But knowing how to play the position, having poise, mental processing … it's just not there," another scout told McGinn.

On top of that, Eason lacks pocket mobility and doesn't extend plays. If he entered the draft 20 years ago, the pocket passer probably would have been a first-round pick. But the game isn't played the same way anymore. Teams aren't looking at prospects in the Peyton Manning or Carson Palmer mold as prototypical quarterbacks. Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson dominate the league. Their athleticism and ability to work outside structure serves a significant role in their success.

That's exactly why Eason's landing spot is so important. Rivers is a throwback. Like the rookie, he's a statuesque pocket passer who won't move off his spot unless he's forced to—and those plays usually turn ugly.

All the prospect's knocks border on fatal flaws, but it's too early to make such an assertion since Eason landed in the right situation. His potential success will be based on the Colts' ability to harness what he does well. The system will be built to satisfy Rivers, which in turn will reflect well on the Georgia-turned-Washington product.

Before doing anything this offseason, Indianapolis already featured one of the league's best offensive lines. The team's front five is a physical group that consistently wins at the point of attack, and Anthony Castonzo's re-signing (two years, $33 million) was essential to keep the unit intact and protect Rivers' blind side. 

The Colts didn't make any significant offensive additions before the draft, though tight end Trey Burton will serve as a lottery ticket after two disappointing seasons with the Chicago Bears.

However, Ballard's second-round acquisitions will create a different dynamic in the Colts' offensive approach.

Kyusung Gong/Associated Press

USC's Michael Pittman Jr. is a big-bodied (6'4" and 223 lbs), physical target who can win on the outside. Rivers loves to take chances, but he needs reliable options who can go get the ball even when they're covered. T.Y. Hilton is a consummate professional, but the 5'10", 183-pounder is not a big target and works better from the slot. Pittman can impose his will on defensive backs while working as the team's X receiver.

Then, the Colts traded up to the 41st pick to acquire Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor. The beauty in the NCAA's sixth all-time leading rusher is the fact that he's both a home run threat—thanks to 4.39-second 40-yard dash speed—and capable of carrying the load in a power running game. Watch a simple power formation become the most mesmerizing play in professional football as the 226-pound back runs behind the league's most highlight reel-worthy offensive lineman, Quenton Nelson.

Nati Harnik/Associated Press

"Offensively, we knew we needed to add some explosive playmakers, and that's where Pittman and Taylor come into the equation," Ballard told reporters after the draft's second day.

Everything said about the recent additions applies to Eason as much as Rivers. A physical running game, with Taylor leading the way, can help protect a young quarterback and bring him along slowly, even if he's pressed into action before he's ready (none ever are).

The thought of Eason learning from Rivers; playing for former NFL quarterback Frank Reich; working in a system that should accentuate the young quarterback's strengths while downplaying his weaknesses; and being able to rely on multiple talented offensive weapons and an elite front five makes the fourth-round pick's potential rise to franchise quarterback realistic.

"This situation gives me a great opportunity to learn from one of the greats in the National Football League [in Rivers] and another tremendous quarterback in Jacoby Brissett," Eason said, per Wells. "I think this is an outstanding opportunity for me to learn. I'm going to take it and run with it."

Eason simply has to do exactly what he said he'll do upon arrival while keeping his head down and soaking in everything to be the Colts' starting quarterback by the 2021 or '22 campaign.

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @brentsobleski. Recruit rankings via 247Sports.