Getty Jake Fromm is one of the top available prospects on the third day of the NFL draft.
Georgia’s Jake Fromm is one of the top quarterback prospects heading into the 2020 NFL draft. Fromm is firmly in the first round conversation but started the college football season ranked behind Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert by most analysts.
One of the challenges for Fromm as the draft gets closer is shredding the “game manager” label that many are pinning on the Georgia quarterback. The question NFL teams will have to answer is whether Fromm is a product of a conservative offensive environment, or if it has more to do with his talent level. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart tends to lean on the running game and does not implement an offense that throws the ball all over the field.
Fromm is going to be compared to other prospects like Justin Herbert who play in a much more uptempo offense. Heading into the Georgia-Notre Dame matchup, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller has Fromm as his fourth-ranked quarterback on his big board. Miller also has Fromm ranked in the first round at No. 31 in his overall 2020 big board, but he noted some in the NFL believe he stays at Georgia for his senior season.
Georgia’s Jake Fromm is worthy of mention, but none of the evaluators polled believe he would leave the Bulldogs after his junior season to test the NFL waters. Fromm, said one, is the kind of guy who stays in college all four years, slips to the second round and ends up being an NFL starter for 15 years but isn’t the type of player you set out a plan to lose for.
Jake Fromm Is Projected to be a First-Round Pick
ESPN’s Mel Kiper has Fromm as a late first-round pick. Kiper noted Fromm needs to show a little bit more in 2019 to move into the conversation with Tagovailoa and Herbert.
“He’s not 6-5 — he’s in that 6-1, 6-2 range and doesn’t have the big-time arm,” Kiper told 247 Sports. “When you think about early to mid first-rounders, usually, they have that top-notch arm strength. You think about Drew Brees, first pick in the second round. Andy Dalton, second round. Will his arm strength improve this year? We’ll see…But I want to see a little bit more improved arm strength. If he shows that, he moves up from No. 25 maybe into the Top 10, Top 15.”
One Draft Analyst Called Fromm the “Perfect QB Prospect for Win-Now NFL Teams”
Fromm has been a model of efficiency at Georgia with his completion percentage improving each season. The Georgia quarterback completed more than 67 percent of his passes in his sophomore season for 2,761 yards, 30 touchdowns and six interceptions.
How good is Fromm? His play forced two different five-star top-rated quarterbacks to transfer as Jacob Eason now plays at Washington, while Justin Fields headed to Ohio State.
Yet, there are still questions about Fromm’s pro potential, but many of the criticisms are tied to Georgia’s run-first offensive system. Prior to the start of the season, Miller called Fromm the “most pro-ready NFL quarterback prospect.”
It’s the high ceiling/high floor debate. Fromm is ready to play but doesn’t have the potential of Herbert or Tagovailoa. He also played in more of a pro-style offense at Georgia, which doesn’t allow for exciting, highlight-worthy plays. Instead, you get a ton of accurate, on-time passes and smart plays. Those don’t get as many views on Instagram, but they result in victories.
One NFL scout emphasized Fromm’s decision making as his biggest strength.
“Mentally, he’s like [Andrew] Luck,” one NFL scouting director told Bleacher Report. “He doesn’t wow you in practice watching him throw because he’s a little small and doesn’t have a huge arm, but he knows where to go with the ball and makes the right decisions. That counts for more than 4.4 speed or a cannon arm.”