Following Texas’ CFP semifinal loss to Ohio State, Quinn Ewers said he did not expect to be playing college football next season. The multiyear Longhorns starter made that official Wednesday.
Ewers is entering the 2025 draft, he announced on his X account. While Ewers is not currently viewed as a no-doubt first-round pick, he is expected to be one of the first QBs chosen in a crop that has generated significant questions. Ewers’ Austin exit also clears a path for Arch Manning, who is already drawing down-the-line NFL interest.
Going 21-5 as a starter under Steve Sarkisian, Ewers enjoyed a quality college career. He held off Manning for two seasons, remaining the starter despite the super-prospect seeing time as a redshirt freshman this past season. The 6-foot-3 QB piloted the Longhorns to back-to-back CFP semifinal games.
Ewers threw 31 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions this season, helping the Longhorns back to the semis. This season did bring a completion percentage step back, dropping from 69% to 65.8%, and a lower yards-per-attempt number (8.8 to 7.8) compared to his sophomore season. Ewers was unable to solidify himself as a surefire first-rounder, but he will get to work on attempting to do so before the draft.
ESPN’s Scouts Inc. rates Ewers as the No. 60 overall prospect. Among quarterbacks, that places him third in the class — behind Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward and ahead of Jalen Milroe. That said, Sanders and Ward are candidates to be top-five picks. As far back as November, we heard a tier gap existed between the Colorado and Miami arms and the rest of the 2025 QB class. Nothing has yet emerged to indicate that assessment was inaccurate, and a more recent report pointed to evaluators being more intrigued by the 2026 and ’27 QB classes — one of which could well include Manning — compared to this year’s group.
With Manning on track to start for Texas in 2025, Ewers could have entered the transfer portal and commanded a lofty NIL payout to stay in college and further his stock for the 2026 draft. He had a senior year of eligibility to use. Georgia’s Carson Beck is taking this route, passing on a 2025 NFL entrance and transferring to Miami. Milroe, however, will join Ewers in declaring for a draft that features extensive question marks at the QB position.
An Ohio State recruit once upon a time, Ewers had reclassified to enter college earlier. He did redshirt as a first-year collegian, eventually using up three years of eligibility at Texas. Ewers will turn 22 a month before the draft. Rather than take the Jayden Daniels–Bo Nix–Michael Penix Jr. route to better his prep and enter a draft in his mid-20s, Ewers will follow the more traditional route Caleb Williams and Drake Maye took last year.
He’s projected to be a 2nd or 3rd rounder. But some team who’s desperate for a QB will reach for him in round 1
Giants round 2?
More like Giants take him in round 1
@Sherm: Giants are drafting at #3 overall. No chance they waste that pick on Ewers. If they take him at all, I would expect it to be with their 3rd round pick.
I highly doubt anyone takes him in the first round. I’m surprised he didn’t look for a year in another program and some more NIL money.
Thought he would go to Bama since Milroe left.
Could be a solid successor/development project behind Geno Smith or Matthew Stafford. This QB class is such a wild card I have no clue who goes where. It’s kind of exciting
I don’t see special arm talent
He doesn’t have it. For the longest time I was rooting for him and thought he could become a good franchise QB. He didn’t grow enough. He didn’t improve enough. He didn’t step up when it mattered. That was a very winnable game vs Ohio State. If you look at other QBs they take advantage of moments offered. CJ Stroud had the great game vs Georgia after losing The Game. Baker Mayfield wasn’t a guy with amazing physical talent, but he was ultra competitive and stepped up in big moments. QBs who don’t continuously improve and don’t step up when the lights are bright won’t succeed in the NFL.
Reminds me of a Kenny Pickett type of selection. Shouldn’t be a first rounder, but will be due to someone’s hope/desperation.
Shoulda transfered to big school who needs QB. Woulda had another shot @natl chmpnsp, winning Heisman, n making good coin to boot w/NIL. Coulda helped his draft stock n honestly looked like he could use the extra grooming @college level. Oh, well.