There was talk of Jason Bean being drafted in the NFL last April after his strong showing during the 2023 college football season, where he flashed his ability as a quarterback, his gamer mentality and his speed that has proven to be nearly second to none.
But the former KU quarterback’s path to the NFL landed on the undrafted free agent road, where he was picked up by the Indianapolis Colts, who have agreed to at least give him a shot.
Bean no doubt will put all of his chips in that basket and all of his effort toward earning a spot on the Colts’ 53-man roster or at least landing on somebody’s practice squad.
But if that doesn’t work out, it’s gotta be nice for him to know there’s someone who wants him. Like, really, really wants him.
On Wednesday, the Memphis Showboats of the recently formed UFL made Bean the No. 1 overall pick in the league’s college draft.
The UFL, which currently is made up of eight franchises, was formed and played its inaugural season last spring after the USFL and XFL merged. The 2024 draft pool consisted only of undrafted players from the 2024 NFL draft.
According to the league’s rules, UFL teams will own the rights to the players they selected in Wednesday’s draft until they either report to the team or the team formally gives up the player's rights. In addition, all players who sign a UFL contract will have an NFL Out clause during the NFL season — the UFL's second season will take place next spring, after the 2024 NFL season ends — allowing them to move up a league should one of the NFL’s 32 franchise have interest.
That could come in handy for Bean, who has reportedly intrigued the Colts as a bit of a wildcard player at the position. Bean is officially listed as a WR/QB with the Colts, and his ability to run (fast) and throw (accurately and down the field) while having good command of running an offense gives him the potential to become a multi-dimensional weapon, even if a seldom-used one.
Bean has a long road to relevance in the NFL in front of him, though. Neither the depth chart at Colts.com nor the one shown at ESPN.com lists him at either wide receiver or quarterback.
He’ll have to play well in camp and throughout the preseason to make his way onto that list. The one thing he does have going for him is familiarity with the Colts’ front office.
Indianapolis GM Chris Ballard is the father of current Kansas quarterback Cole Ballard, who backed up Bean last season after Jalon Daniels got hurt. So, you know the older Ballard at least saw glimpses of what Bean can do. That earned him the chance. Now he has to go earn more with his play.
The good news for Bean here, however, is that even if he doesn’t stick with the Colts or another NFL team, Memphis’ UFL team has given him a landing spot where he can continue to play football.
I was around Bean for the past few years and I can tell you without question that that’s all the guy wants to do. He loves the game. He loves to compete. He loves the team dynamic. And he really wants to play football. Quarterback would obviously be his preferred position, but if he can stick in the NFL playing somewhere else, it’s hard to imagine him thinking twice about that.
The UFL is an interesting second option, and, based on where he was drafted, it’s clear that Memphis wants to give him the chance to play his preferred position full-time.
Of all of the start-up, secondary football leagues that have fought for space in the pro sports scene during the past few decades, the UFL seems like it has the best chance to succeed.
It’s well run, organized and built on the backs of some pretty quality players from the college ranks, many of whom come from power programs.
While that won’t ever give it a chance at pushing the NFL for king of the mountain, it could carve out a nice niche as a minor league of sorts, much in the way the G League has for the NBA.
Guys won’t get rich in the UFL, but they’ll make a living. According to a recent ESPN.com story, UFL players make a salary of $50,000 and also get a $400-per-week stipend for housing. That’s decent money for an athlete straight out of college and should give Bean a good baseline – either make $50k and build your brand through the UFL playing the game you love, or hit it big and live out your dream of playing in the NFL.
Either path is awesome for a guy who is absolutely deserving of good things coming his way. And adding the title of No. 1 draft pick to the mix is merely icing on the cake.
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