If you had told me the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would sign Tom Brady, I would have laughed. I thought he would never leave New England. Now that he is on the team you must realize it’s a short term solution. The Buccaneers must draft a quarterback and it needs to be this year.
The First Round
Now that the Buccaneers have Brady under center, like all quarterbacks he requires protection. This means one thing, shore up the front line. With the new acquisition, I assume part of the selling feature was that Jason Licht WILL draft an offensive tackle in the first round. There are multiple options to go after leaving the Buccaneers to search for a quarterback elsewhere in the draft. I have two favorite targets that would be perfect to learn behind Brady.
A Big Arm
First on my big board after drafting an offensive tackle is the University of Washington’s Jacob Eason. Coming from a prostyle system all the way back to high school, Eason is already primed and ready to go. His size is perfect at 6’6″ and 231 pounds. Coupled with his arm strength, he looks to be the prototype quarterback Bruce Arians would want.
What makes him a great candidate for this Buccaneers team and to learn behind Brady is as follows. First of all, he is willing and capable of throwing into tight windows. His accuracy is evident as he works through his progressions and can make throws at every level. In 2016, his accuracy was 55.1% but by the time he got to Washington and declared for the draft, it jumped to 64.2%.
Second, he puts the ball where only the receiver can get to it. In his last year in college, he tossed 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He can move the ball between levels of defense and throw his receivers open. His deep ball accuracy is great. Part of his ability to do this is he will occasionally look off defenders and can hide where he really wants to go with the ball.
Projection
Sitting behind Brady, Eason will pick up a lot of information and see what a great work ethic looks like. I see Eason as a mix of Brady and Winston. As a general manager, Eason will be seen as an underrated weapon. Hopefully, he could fall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round.
The Replacement
Maybe he’ll be Tom Brady’s replacement in Tampa Bay, but Jake Fromm did replace Eason in Georgia. When Jacob Eason went down in 2017, Jake Fromm broke out onto the scene. Fromm would post a 62.2% completion percentage, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, solidifying him a force to be reckoned with.
Fromm’s hot hand allowed him to maintain over a 60% completion percentage all three years as a Bulldog. Going against NFL style defenses, Fromm never posted more than seven interceptions (freshman year) and no fewer than 24 touchdowns. Contributing to his success is his ability to read the entire field pre and post-snap.
Fromm is another quarterback with Brady’s traits. He knows when to get rid of the ball and to the pleasure of Winston fans, he will take off and run to move the sticks. Also, much like Brady, he can stand in the face of pressure and deliver, anticipating the routes and trusting his reads. He loves crossing routes and drags like Brady. He could be the optimal replacement.
Projection
Fromm may not find himself selected before Eason even though he replaced Eason. This may be the perfect storm for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fromm may represent a bargain of a quarterback who could replicate Brady’s style and work ethic.
Conclusion
Both prospects are prime to be perfect candidates to replace Brady. Furthermore, both players can read the field and move through progressions. Fromm loves the middle of the field much as we see with Brady and the slot receiver. Eason needs the pocket to maintain security upfront in order to operate much like Brady. Eason fades with pressure in his face also.
From my analysis of the tape, Jacob Eason represents the best student to learn behind Brady. Additionally, he also represents the best mix of Jameis Winston and Tom Brady. How could you not love that? Fromm would provide a steady presence if Eason were off the board before they pick in the second or third.
If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select either one of these two quarterbacks who fit a Tom Brady mold well, the future of the Buccaneers looks bright.
Photo credit: Associated Press
