Memphis Showboats draft former Kansas QB Jason Bean first overall in UFL College Draft

The Memphis Showboats of the UFL selected former Kansas quarterback Jason Bean with their first overall pick in the 2024 draft on Wednesday. Though Bean has signed a deal in the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Colts, he now has a fallback if he doesn’t stick to a roster when the deadline hits before the start of the regular season.

UFL contracts allow players to sign deals with an “NFL out,” which lets them play in the big leagues during the season. The team that drafts a player holds their exclusive rights until the player reports to the team or the team gives up that player’s rights.

The Showboats had the first overall selection in the UFL draft after going 5-5 last season and 2-4 in their division. League champions, the Birmingham Stallions, have the last pick in each round of the 10-round draft.

Shortly after the NFL draft ended in April, the dynamic dual-threat quarterback joined the Indianapolis Colts over offers from several other teams. He joined another young quarterback in the Colts’ locker room, former Florida signal-caller Anthony Richardson who was a first-round pick in 2023. Like Richardson, Bean was an explosive dual-threat in college while with the Jayhawks.

Bean enters pro league after leading Kansas to top 25 finish

In the 2023 campaign, he completed 62.3% of his passes for 2,130 passing yards, while tossing in 18 touchdowns with seven interceptions. As a runner, he finished with 280 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. In his team’s 39-32 loss against Oklahoma State on Oct. 14, he completed 67.6% of his passes for 410 passing yards, while tossing in five touchdowns with two interceptions.

Bean had one more stellar performance left in the bag for the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, when the Jayhawks faced off against the UNLV Rebels. He completed 67.9% of his passes for 449 yards, while tossing in six touchdowns with three interceptions. Bean also tacked on 21 rushing yards on six attempts, in leading Kansas to a 49-36 win.

In 2022, against Texas Tech, Bean completed 60.7% of his passes for 270 yards, while tossing in three touchdowns with one interception. He also had another solid showing against Oklahoma, completing 16 of 27 passes for 265 yards and four touchdowns while tossing in two interceptions. Bean finished the year completing 64% of his passes for 1,280 passing yards, while tossing in 14 touchdowns and four interceptions. As a runner, he had 38 carries for 222 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

In 2021, as a redshirt junior, Bean started the first nine games for the Jayhawks. He completed 56% of his passes for 1,252 yards, while throwing six touchdowns with six interceptions. Before transferring to Kansas, Bean got his feet wet in college football with the North Texas Mean Green, throwing for over 1,200 yards total in three seasons.

On3’s Wade Peery contributed to this report.