'A one-of-a-kind kid': Jake Fromm's former coach praises the UGA star ahead of NFL draft

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — When the world was first introduced to Jake Fromm, he was a 12-year-old Little Leaguer leading the Warner Robins All-Stars to Williamsport, but after young Jake finished middle school, the dual sport phenom had a decision to make about which road to take with either baseball or football.

Jake's former high school head coach Von Lassiter watched him start 40 games at quarterback beginning the middle of his freshman season. Jake went on to own school records for season passing yards and a career with nearly 13,000, and 116 touchdowns. 

“We kind of knew from the start that he was going to be pretty good,” explains Lassiter. “If you sat in a meeting with him for over 5 minutes, you could tell he was over-the-top intellectually, and had a really good knowledge of football and picked it up rather quickly. You could tell early on that he was going to be different than any other quarterback I've ever coached.” 

Jake went on to finish his high school career as an Army All-American before early enrolling at UGA, and it wasn't long there that he would once again show the world just what he was made of. Fromm was challenged into action early in the first game of his college career after an injury to then-starter Jacob Eason. 

Lassiter explains, “He's played in every game, every game he's dressed out in high school or college. He's never had to take a backseat or afforded the chance to learn from anyone other than a coach. Those are things that are credited to his character, his work ethic, his abilities, all those things come together so.”

A positive relationship between coach and player, that goes beyond the X's and O's and will continue into the next phase of Jake's life on and off the field.

“He's a one-of-a-kind kid. It started as a father and son relationship so to speak and then kind of evolved into a really good friendship and it's one that I'll treasure forever,” says Lassiter. 

Coach Lassiter tells us Jake seemed very calm and secure with his decision and he's now in Mobile, Alabama preparing for combines and the NFL draft ahead.