Although many believe sophomore quarterback Jacob Eason will maintain his firm grip on Georgia’s starting job, the former 5-star prospect is certainly in for more competition than he had last spring.

Kirby Smart has not been shy about praising freshman quarterback Jake Fromm, who is already on campus and aiming to knock Eason from the top spot. Fromm is one of the most productive high school quarterbacks the state of Georgia has ever produced and has drawn rave reviews from scouts and coaches, alike.

On Monday, Smart joined The Paul Finebaum Show to discuss the Bulldogs’ progress this spring, and the conversation unsurprisingly shifted to the quarterbacks.

“(Eason’s) also got a little competition going as well, this spring, with a young man by the name of Jake Fromm,” Smart told Finebaum. “That part has helped as well. I think it’s been good to have Jake in meetings, and (Eason) realizes: Hey, this kid is coming up on my tail pretty quick.”

Last spring, Eason battled with veteran quarterback Greyson Lambert, who started the season opener against North Carolina but gave way to the true freshman in Week 2. From a talent perspective, Fromm is an improvement over Lambert, and he should push Eason in entirely new ways.

As a true freshman, Eason showed his immense physical traits but struggled with consistency and an advanced understanding of the game. Thus far, Smart appears to be pleased with his quarterback’s progress.

“I think he’s developed his leadership skills over the offseason,” Smart told Finebaum. “I think he’s got a lot more confidence in some of the decisions and throws he gets to make…

“Jacob’s done a lot of things well this spring, early on. He’s got great velocity on his throws, confidence in this system to make the throws; he’s changed some plays and done some really good things. So, we’re expecting him to play at a much better level this year.”