Washington QB Jacob Eason declares for 2020 NFL draft
Jacob Eason won’t return to Washington in 2020.
The Georgia transfer announced Thursday that he would be leaving the Huskies and declaring for the 2020 NFL draft. Eason spent just one season as Washington’s starter after he sat out the 2018 season because of NCAA transfer rules.
Thank you Husky nation! pic.twitter.com/apDKvh8d5s
— Jacob Eason (@skinnyqb10) December 26, 2019
“Playing this season for the University of Washington has been one of the greatest experiences of my life,” Eason wrote in the statement he posted to Twitter. “UW has given me an incredible opportunity to develop as a football player and a person and I am forever grateful and honored to be a Husky.”
“After contemplating my future with my family and coaches, I have decided to forego my fifth year of college and enter the 2020 NFL draft. The opportunity to play quarterback in the NFL has been a lifelong dream, and my heart is set on the challenge ahead.”
Washington finished 2019 at 8-5
Eason started all 13 of Washington’s games this season. He was 260-of-405 passing for 3,132 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The Huskies beat Boise State in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 21 to finish the season at 8-5. In that game, Eason was 22-of-32 passing for 210 yards and a touchdown.
Had Eason returned for his senior season at Washington he would have been playing under a new head coach and offensive coordinator. Chris Petersen announced at the end of the regular season that he would be stepping down as the team’s head coach following the bowl game and would be replaced by defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake.
Earlier this week, Lake announced that offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan wouldn’t return to the team in 2020 along with tight ends coach Jordan Paopao.
“I’ve really enjoyed working alongside Bush and Jordan and appreciate their contributions to Husky football,” Lake said in a statement. “These decisions are extremely difficult, but I believe it’s in the best interest of our program to make these changes to align with the vision we have for our team moving forward. I wish them both nothing but the best.”
Eason transferred after 2017
Eason was Georgia’s starting quarterback as a freshman in 2016. He was 204-of-370 passing for 2,430 yards with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions in Kirby Smart’s first season with the Bulldogs.
Eason had the starting job to open the 2017 season but suffered a knee injury in the season-opening game against Appalachian State. He was replaced by freshman Jake Fromm and Fromm played so well the rest of the season as Georgia reached the national title game that Eason got relegated to backup status after he was fully healthy.
That led to Eason’s decision to transfer after the 2017 season and the Washington native elected to return to his home state and play in the Pac-12.
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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.
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