The NFL Draft will begin on Thursday night, as the anticipation for the 2020 virtual draft has been even higher than most years given the lack of live sports options for fans. That’s led to more discussion and speculation about what will happen over the weekend, and as always there’s a tremendous amount of bandwidth used to discuss this year’s quarterback class.
Washington quarterback Jacob Eason entered this season’s draft process with some thinking he might be able to climb draft boards once teams got him into facilities and saw his incredible arm talent in person. With just two years of tape — 2016 as a true freshman at Georgia and 2019 as a redshirt junior at Washington — those visits were going to be a big opportunity for him to make a statement with his arm and get front offices and coaching staffs excited about the possibility of taking him.
With the draft process being shifted to the virtual world due to COVID-19, Eason lost out on that opportunity and, like everyone else, has had to make a great impression over the phone and in video calls. Eason spoke with Uproxx Sports on behalf of Head and Shoulders on Wednesday about the challenges of that process, if he felt that the lack of in-person workouts was a bigger hurdle for him than some others, what he’s telling teams in interviews, what they’re asking him to work on, and what he’ll be doing for Thursday’s virtual NFL Draft Red Carpet.
Obviously this has been a unique draft process for everyone, what have the last couple months been like for you?
For me, it’s been a lot of phone calls, Zoom meetings, Skype interviews. You know, with the virus thing going on, I’m still working out and training every day, I’ve just gotta make sure I’m keeping my numbers down and staying safe with all the regulations. It’s really been the same thing it would be if there’d not been a virus, but all online. All my trips and visits were cancelled, which is unfortunate because I’d like to have had more face time with teams, but I think through calls and video meetings I’ve been able to push my strengths and get my personality out there.
I felt you were going to be a guy impacted a little more than most by the lack of private workouts since you have just the two years of tape and those are four years apart. Those are a chance to really pop and show your skills in person. Have you felt that at all and how have you tried to make up for not having those opportunities to get in team facilities?
Yeah, I have felt that. That was going to be my chance to show my strengths and how well I can spin the ball and show some throws I can make. But I was able to make a pro day video of an on the field workout, mock pro day type thing that we sent out to all the teams. So, the biggest thing right now is controlling what you can control, and this virus is out of my control. Given the circumstances, I’ve had to do everything I can to put my best foot forward and put myself in the best situation. That’s what I’ve been doing and doing everything I can to put myself in the best opportunity.
Part of the draft process is selling yourself to teams and letting them know why they should take you. What are you telling teams when you have meetings or calls with them about what they’ll get as a player and a guy in the locker room if they draft you?
My biggest thing is I’ve pushed my personality. I feel like I’m a great teammate and can be a great leader. I mesh well with just about everyone in the locker room, and that’s something I take pride in. I take pride in making relationships that are meaningful so when the game’s on the line so I can trust whoever I’m throwing to or handing off too or who’s protecting me. That’s the biggest thing for me. I want to push my leadership and my love for the game, that’s the other thing that really stands out. I’m super passionate about going out and winning football games. I have goals I want to achieve, and in conversations with these teams I’ve been able to tell them what those goals are and how I feel about playing this game and being in a locker room full of guys with their hearts set on the same goal. It’s been a pretty cool experience, a very different experience as well. I’m super fortunate to be in a position to talk with these teams and push my strengths.
On the other side, what are the things teams have told you they’d like to see you work on and improve on in your game?
You pull up the tape and there’s some things that stick out. One of the things is I have a tendency to go back and left out of the pocket and that’s one of the things I’ve been working on. Just working on moving up and through [in the pocket] rather than backing out. So I’ve been drilling that non-stop trying to get to the next level. And then whether it’s protections or seeing coverages or different man-zone concepts, really a melting pot of different things I’ve been working on and preparing for whenever I’m able to fly down to my new city and get rolling. There’s several things that I’ve been working on and there’s also several things I’ve done really well that I’ve been maintaining and making sure I stay on point there as well. It’s been a good thing to have a chance to work on small things and also keeping the main thing the main thing.
How are you managing the stress and excitement as we near draft weekend?
You know what, it’s kind of settling in. I talked to my pops last night and I kind of made a round of calls. Like, I went back and talked to Jim Cheney and Kirby Smart, my old coaches at Georgia. I talked to Chris Petersen and Jimmy Lake at Washington and I even called my old high school coach Tom Tri, and just went down the line. A lot of it, I didn’t really think of it until now what’s about to happen, and it’s been a lifelong goal of mine since I was a little kid throwing the ball with my dad. It’s going to be really emotional and exciting and I’m anxious and all of the above, really. It’s kind of settling in. Overall, I’m excited and very fortunate. Happy to be in this position where this opportunity is coming up and I’m super excited and hungry to get picked and start getting working on my new team.
You’re going to be part of the NFL Virtual Red Carpet, what can you tell me about that and how fans can check in on how a lot of you and other prospects are getting ready for and taking in the Draft?
Yeah, so we’re doing it all virtual this year, so fans and whoever wants to check it out, it’ll be #NFLDraftRedCarpet. It’ll be on on Thursday and you can see all the styles and what everybody’s wearing, and it’ll be a pretty cool deal. So, make sure you check that out. I was able to get a cool outfit, take some pictures and do a little red carpet walk. I got a nice hair cut and am looking good for the big day.
You’ve got a pretty strong flow, was Head and Shoulders just a natural fit for you?
Yeah it was. You know, Head and Shoulders, I go with their styling products to help me take care of my scalp and hair style while I’m quarantined, cause it can be hard to get a hair cut with everything going on. Their style cream’s been a go-to at home, and they’re helping me look good and feel good, so I’m excited to show off my head of hair on draft day and show the people what they want.