Las Vegas Bowl Boise State vs Washington: Top 2020 NFL Draft prospects
By Evan Bachman
Highlighting the top 2020 NFL Draft prospects to watch in the Las Vegas Bowl between Boise State and Washington.
Saturday evening the Boise State Broncos will battle the Washington Huskies in the Las Vegas Bowl. While this game may not jump off the page in terms of NFL talent, there are certainly NFL level players on both teams and scouts will be watching. In particular, we will have an eye on several interesting 2020 NFL draft prospects.
One quick note is that two of Washington’s best players offensive tackle Trey Adams, who should hear his name called in the first two days of the 2020 NFL Draft, and tight end Hunter Bryant are sitting out for draft preparation.
The best 2020 NFL draft prospect and biggest name in this game is Washington quarterback Jacob Eason, who I had going 29th overall to the Patriots in my latest mock draft. Let’s talk about him first.
Jacob Eason, QB, Washington
Eason was a top recruit in the 2016 class and started at Georgia his freshman year before being replaced by Jake Fromm after an injury his sophomore year. He ended up transferring to Washington for this season where he threw for 2,922 yards, 22 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
He is a pretty fascinating prospect. He has prototypical physical traits with elite size (6-foot-6, 227 pounds) and an outstanding arm as he can throw the ball a mile and can deliver passes with velocity. He also has shown that not only can he throw the ball far, but when he does it’s with good touch and accuracy.
Despite those ideal physical traits, he needs to develop the mental aspect of his game to become a starting quality quarterback in the NFL. Washington’s offense right now utilizes a lot of screens and quick passes, so he does get a lot of pretty easy completions where he doesn’t have to think too much.
Another area I would like to see improvements in his game is his pocket presence. He has shown that when he escapes out of the pocket he’s capable of making some spectacular plays, but he doesn’t sense pressure too well and sometimes panics and makes bad throws when pressured.
Eason would be an excellent fit for a team who’s starting quarterback will retire soon. Teams that come to mind immediately are the Patriots, Saints, and Chargers. Giving Eason the chance to learn from a future Hall of Fame player and then step in when it’s his turn would be perfect for him. Those teams and many others will be interested to see Eason’s performance against Boise State.