There were a ton of schools trying to recruit Jacob Eason out of high school in Washington. Of course he ended up choosing Georgia despite the fact that he could have gone to any Pac 12 or other school he wanted. Florida also tried to get in on the action late when Mark Richt was fired and there was thought to be a shot at landing him.
RELATED: Jacob Eason's coach thinks UF really made him think about his commitment
Jim McElwain took his shot at Eason and saw a lot of recruits over his years in Colorado State and working the Pacific Northwest. So when he hands out compliments in this fashion it's not just a throw away compliment.
"We tried to jump in there late when there might have been a crack, not sure how big of a crack there was. But it had to do with relationships back in Seattle. I've been up there (the Pacific Northwest) about 15 years. I do know this - that guy is special talent. He knows the game. I enjoyed the time I spent with him and his family. He's a special player."
Eason also took a visit to Florida during their preparation for the SEC Championship last year, but that wasn't quite enough —- coupled with the fact that Florida desperately needed a QB at that point —- to convince him to settle down in Gainesville. Eason has had a rough start with first-year head coach Kirby Smart running the show, but he's also had a mediocre at best offensive line and his running backs haven't been as good as they were last year for Georgia.
[h/t Saturday Down South]