There were postcard views while watching last week’s summer football practices that included Jacob Eason, who is Georgia’s most celebrated quarterback recruit since Matthew Stafford.
Eason plays at Lake Stevens High School, which is located in a quiet and cozy lakefront community around 40 minutes north of Seattle. Eason has one season left before he can enroll at Georgia in January.
You know that infamous Seattle rain? There wasn’t a cloud in the sky for last week’s workouts, but rather sunny skies with 80-degree temperatures. In the backdrop of the school stadium, which has a steel roof to cover the home stands for when the gloomy weather returns in the fall, were panoramic views of the Cascade Mountains.
It was a beautiful sight, as was the steady flow of near-perfect spirals thrown by Eason, who is rated as No. 1 prep quarterback in the nation.
Here are 10 things to know about Eason:
1. Great expectations: Eason is aware that some Georgia fans view him as a savior for the program, as is common with five-star recruits. "They are going to hype me up a lot (because of the recruiting rankings), but that's out of my control," he said. "I want to go into spring camp and just compete with the guys there," he said. "I just want to mix in, work hard, and earn my way. If I become the starter, then I become the starter. That's up to the coaches to decide. But if I become a backup behind whoever is there, then I will still love being there. And I will just keep working hard and competing to be the starter, just like any quarterback would. Every guy wants the chance to start. That's what everybody works toward. I'm just going to go there and go work hard."
2. Stafford comparisons: Because Eason is a tall gunslinger from out of state, he gets compared with Stafford, the former Georgia quarterback who was the first pick of the 2009 NFL draft. Eason takes it "with a grain of salt" but as a compliment. "I got his jersey," Eason said. "He is one of the guys I like watching, because he's a risky playmaker is what I see him as. He is going to have a check down, but he's also going to have a guy 50 yards down the field with a tight window. He's going to take that shot. That's why I like watching him. He's an edge-of-your-seat type of guy." They've never met.
3. Calm demeanor: One of the first things that you notice about Eason is that he's not the rah-rah type of quarterback. He raises his voice to call plays, and that's about it. He appears unusually quiet and unassuming for an elite prospect. He rarely takes his helmet off, even when cameras and fans follow him around. "That's not my style (with all the hollering and screaming)," he said. "Respect is a big thing for me. 'You can't get respect if you don't give respect' is one of things I like to think about."
4. UGA's national search: It's still surreal that UGA went to the other side of the country, convinced Eason to come to camp last July, and convinced him to commit while there. "When you are in my shoes, and with the way Georgia presents itself — it was a feeling," Eason explained. "Everything about it felt right, and I felt right going to Georgia. That's why I committed there. It was the best decision that I've made in a while."
5. The OC change: What may be most remarkable about Eason's commitment to Georgia is that he didn't even appear to blink an eye when the Bulldogs changed offensive coordinators. "With coach (Mark) Richt, it's hard not to trust a guy like that," he said. "I knew he was going to get a good guy, and that's what he did … I would still have gone to UGA because coach Richt was there. I believe in him. He's a family guy. He has good faith, and he has good moral values. Those are things I look up to. The coaching staff, the players, the fan base, and the community — it's all top-notch at UGA."
6. Mental approach: The turning point in Eason's high school career was when he realized he didn't have to depend solely on his rocket arm. After two games as a sophomore, Eason had six interceptions and no touchdowns. "He was forcing stuff," Lake Stevens assistant Lew Widdman said. "He had started having the same expectations that everybody else had: the big arm, he could throw any ball — and it's true, he can. But as every quarterback learns, you have to take what the defenses give you." Eason learned his lesson. In the next 18 games, Eason threw 55 touchdowns and no interceptions while helping his team win back-to-back conference championships.
7. The Georgia experience: Eason has never been to a Georgia game, and he might not get the chance to do that until he plays for the Bulldogs. He won't be able to attend any games this season because they conflict with his high school schedule. Eason's only planned trip to Georgia right now is for Dawg Night prospect camp again July 18. "I don't know when I'll take my official visit there," he said.
8. Far away from home: Eason is comfortable with the idea of going 2,724 miles away for college. "It's just one of those things in life, if you're going to have an opportunity, you've got to take it," he said. "You really can't pass up a college like Georgia when you're in my position. If it means going far away from home, then that's the case. I'm excited. You know, my mom is going to have to deal with it. That's the downside. But other than that, everything is an upside."
9. The comfort factor: The main reason that Eason is comfortable with going so far away is that his father did the same thing. Tony Eason also is from Washington, and he signed to play football at Notre Dame. "He had a great time going away for college," Jacob said. "That was one of the best times of his life, as it is for everybody. His father agreed that his own experience has encouraged his son: "We're cut from the same cloth really. He's my son. He's my flesh and blood. He knows that I went off to college. … Georgia is such a good fit for him socially, academically, football-wise, and all the way around."
10. Close-knit family: Jacob has an older brother who wrestled at Lake Stevens a few years ago, along with a younger sister who is a promising freshman volleyball player. He's close to both parents, and his father also serves as an assistant football coach at Lake Stevens. "He has been the No. 1 guy in my life, as my mentor and as my father," Jacob said. "He has taught me everything he knows on and off the field. He has put everything in me so that when I leave the house I can be everything that I am supposed to be."
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