LAWRENCE — Jason Bean’s speed, athleticism and experience made him a valuable asset at quarterback for Kansas football across the past few seasons.

It helped Bean and the Jayhawks reach back-to-back bowl games in 2022 and 2023, something the program hadn’t done in more than a decade. It helped Bean and the Jayhawks win the Guaranteed Rate Bowl this past season, capturing their first bowl victory in more than a decade, too. It’s, in part, what likely would make him a target for teams as an un-drafted free agent after the 2024 NFL draft.

So, the fact the Indianapolis Colts signed him — listing him as both a quarterback and wide receiver — and brought him in didn’t come as much of a surprise. Bean’s talent was going to be viewed as valuable by some organization, if not more than one. And what Colts assistant general manager Ed Dodds told reporters about Bean in recent days only supports that.

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“Obviously, kind of got a connection to Kansas, right?” said Dodds, in an interview posted on colts.com, seemingly alluding to Colts general manager Chris Ballard’s son Cole Ballard being a quarterback at KU. “So, but yeah I mean, again traits, right? He’s long. He’s really — he’s fast. Like, he’s faster than what his recorded 40-time is. I mean, you felt on one play today he went down the sideline. But, yeah, the more things they can do — I mean, and he’s going to do some different stuff for us, too.”

After serving as KU’s lead starter in 2021, Lance Leipold’s first season as the Jayhawks’ head coach, Bean provided the team with a valuable backup option across the next two seasons. With fellow-quarterback Jalon Daniels dealing with injury in 2022 and 2023, Bean’s availability provided the team with an opportunity to stay on track toward its goals. When Kansas clinched that pivotal sixth win the past two years, Bean was at the helm.

Bean threw for 2,130 yards, 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 12 games in 2023, in addition to rushing for 280 yards and a few touchdowns. He threw for 1,280 yards, 14 touchdowns and four interceptions in 12 games in 2022, in addition to rushing for 222 yards and four touchdowns. In his last game with with the Jayhawks he earned Guaranteed Rate Bowl offensive most valuable player honors, as he threw for 449 yards and six touchdowns — with three interceptions — while also rushing for 21 yards.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas football QB Jason Bean draws interest from Indianapolis Colts