When it comes to quarterbacks in the 2020 NFL Draft, the demand significantly outweighs the supply. The list of NFL teams that are currently searching for a franchise quarterback can be broken down into two categories. First, the list of teams that are definitely looking for their quarterback of the future, which consists of the Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Secondly, the list of teams that should be searching for their quarterback of the future, which includes the Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, and New Orleans Saints. All in all, there will be 9-10 teams looking for their quarterback in the 2020 NFL Draft, but there is some bad news: unfortunately for the quarterback-needy teams, there aren’t enough franchise caliber quarterbacks in the 2020 draft to satisfy that type of demand.
LSU Tigers’ Joe Burrow, Alabama Crimson Tide’s Tua Tagovailoa, Oregon Ducks’ Justin Herbert, and Utah State Aggies’ Jordan Love are the four legitimate first-round quarterbacks in the 2020 draft. It is a foregone conclusion that the Cincinnati Bengals will select Joe Burrow with the first overall pick of the draft. The Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers are extremely likely to select a quarterback with their top-10 selections as well. If this scenario plays out as expected, that would leave at least five teams that would need to fill their need at quarterback on day two of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Now, there will be movement in free agency, as players such as Teddy Bridgewater and Marcus Mariota will be available. Plus, there are many questions that will have to be answered prior to the draft. Will the Panthers stick with Cam Newton after Kyle Allen and Will Grier have failed? Will the Tennessee Titans resign Ryan Tannehill to a long term deal? Will the Buccaneers apply the franchise tag to Jameis Winston?
After all the smoke clears, there will be many teams in need of a quarterback after day one of the draft. Who are players that will be available on day two and have the potential to energize a fan base?
After the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, there are two players that ooze franchise quarterback traits:
Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma Sooners
Over the last few years, we have seen the stock of Oklahoma quarterbacks skyrocket leading up to the draft. In 2018, Baker Mayfield went from being considered a mid-round selection to being the first overall pick of the draft. In 2019, Kyler Murray went from being a baseball prospect for the Oakland Athletics to being the first overall pick of the NFL draft. Kudos to Oklahoma’s head coach Lincoln Riley, who has done a magnificent job at getting his quarterbacks ready for the next level. Could Jalen Hurts stock rise like it did for Mayfield and Murray?
Hurts has had an electrifying 2019 season for the Sooners, as he has thrown for 3,634 passing yards and 32 passing touchdowns, while rushing for 1,255 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. While he is not as developed as a passer as Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, the success of Jackson as a dual-threat option will have NFL scouts very interested in Hurts. When it comes to running the ball, Hurts is a natural, and he has the size and strength to take hits. However, he will need to drastically improve as a passer to be a legitimate NFL quarterback. He is accurate in the short passing game and is lethal when throwing on the run, but he needs improvement when it comes to throwing with anticipation and progressing through his reads. At times, Hurts passes tend to sail on him, which can be improved with NFL coaching. One huge bonus with Hurts is that he brings off the charts leadership qualities and intangibles, which should certainly help his draft stock.
Hurts might be the best athlete at the quarterback position in the 2020 NFL Draft. His feet are his biggest weapon. Take a look at the clip below and watch how he can create big plays with his legs:
Just a casual 53 yard run on the first play of the game for @OU_Football‘s Jalen Hurts 😎 pic.twitter.com/sm1n93w01M
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 15, 2019
It is unlikely that Hurts’ stock will catapult him into the first round, as there is a lot of development needed from him as a passer, yet he should be selected in very high on day two. Teams like the Colts, Jaguars, and Panthers would make a lot of sense to take a chance on Hurts at the beginning of round-two. Pro Football Network draft guru Tony Pauline agrees with me in terms of when Hurts is selected in his article, “NFL Draft Mailbag: Tony Pauline on Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts, and more”.
Jacob Eason, Washington Huskies
After throttling Boise State in the Las Vegas Bowl, Washington quarterback Jacob Eason announced his intentions to enter the 2020 NFL Draft. In 2018, Eason made the decision to transfer from Georgia to Washington after he lost his starting position to Jake Fromm due to injury. The decision turned out to be a good one, as Eason thrived as the Huskies quarterback in 2019, throwing for 3,132 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns, and only 8 interceptions.
He looks the part of an NFL quarterback, standing at 6’6″ tall and having a strong build. He has a great arm, throws with anticipation at a high level, and isn’t afraid to take his shots. He has that “gunslinger mentality” which made Brett Favre successful, and he is the type of throwback pocket-passer we have seen thrive in a pass-happy NFL. He scans the field well, has an outstanding quick release, and can be lethal when he has time to set his feet.
There are some limitations in Eason’s game worth noting. He doesn’t have the best mobility in the pocket, which is reason for concern because when faced with pressure, Eason’s mechanics break down, leading him to make some poor decisions.
One reason that Eason has the potential to fly up draft boards is due to his arm talent. When watching film on Eason, there will be times when you ask yourself, “How in the world did he make that throw?”. Take a look at the clip below. Eason’s arm strength allows him to make any throw on the field. Throwing from the hash to the sideline like Eason does in the clip below is special:
Jacob Eason can literally throw to any spot on the field from anywhere. 👀 pic.twitter.com/mafOqI6v38
— Draft Rite (@DraftRite) December 23, 2019
Eason has marvelous deep ball accuracy. In the clip below, you will see him burn the Oregon defense with a beautifully placed deep ball:
Washington QB Jacob Eason has a big arm, shows his deep ball accuracy on this TD pass. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/4w5B3kFO8q
— Basheer Umar Pemberton (@SalafeeScout) December 25, 2019
After the names of Burrow, Tagovailoa, Herbert, and Love are called, it is very likely that Eason will be the fifth quarterback selected in the 2020 NFL Draft. There is a shot that he could rise into round one conversations, as his arm talent will make teams fall in love with him. However, I think it’s more likely that he goes early in round two, as he needs to become more consistent. One potential fit that makes too much sense is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I could see a coach like Bruce Arians wanting to get their hands on Eason.
The Jordan Love hype is ridiculous