He’s a Bill: Georgia QB Jake Fromm finally hears his name called in NFL Draft

It took longer than expected, but all the speculation about where and when Jake Fromm will be drafted can finally be put to rest.

Fromm took his first step toward an NFL future on Saturday when he was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, No. 167 overall.

He enters a QB room in Buffalo where Josh Allen is the entrenched starter. Allen’s playing style can be “reckless,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said, which puts a premium on the backup position.

“The backup is going to be critical. Jake Fromm, be ready,” Kiper said on ESPN’s broadcast Saturday.

Fromm was the eighth quarterback taken in this year’s draft. He wasn’t even the first former Georgia quarterback selected. That distinction went to Jacob Eason, who transferred from the Bulldogs and finished his college career at Washington. Eason was taken in the fourth round (No. 122) by the Indianapolis Colts.

Still, Fromm leaves behind him a legacy of one of the winningest quarterbacks to ever play for Georgia.

Bills draft Fromm: 5 things to know

Here are things to know about the former Bulldog signal caller:

1. The Warner Robins native and Houston County High School star joined Georgia as a four-star recruit in 2017. With an injury to starter Eason, Fromm took over in the season opener against Appalachian State and never looked back, starting every game the rest of the season and leading the Bulldogs to a 13-2 final record and a near national championship.

2. Fromm went on to start all 28 games in his final two seasons in Athens, providing durability and stability at the most important position. He led the Bulldogs to the SEC championship game all three seasons, the first time Georgia has ever accomplished that feat.

3. Despite taking some criticism from fans in the later part of his career, Fromm departs with his name scattered over the Georgia record books. He finished fourth in school history in passing yards (8,224), second in touchdowns (78), fourth in completions (621) and fifth in attempts (982). His career completion percentage of 63.2 percent ranks third in school history.

4. Fromm’s measurables have long been a debated topic, with some projecting him to fall in the draft to his small stature and below average hand size. However, Fromm reportedly placed third among the 2020 quarterback class with a score of 35 on the Wonderlic test, an intelligence test used by NFL teams when evaluating prospects.

5. In 2011, Jake Fromm was on the national stage as a pitcher for the Southeast in the Little League World Series. Fromm also played baseball at Houston County High School, helping his team win the state championship his junior year.

This story was originally published April 25, 2020 at 3:08 PM.