Laken Littman
College Football & Soccer Analyst
Quinn Ewers is headed to the NFL.
There was much speculation as to whether the Texas quarterback would enter the transfer portal where he reportedly held multiple high-priced offers, but the junior has decided to enter the 2025 NFL Draft.
Ewers could have gone to the NFL last year, but felt he needed more playing time in college. He explained his reasoning last week ahead of the Cotton Bowl showdown between Texas and Ohio State.
“I felt like my time here wasn’t over yet and I wanted to spend another season here and feel that feeling again.” [of playing in the College Football Playoff]”I wish I had more experience before I got into the NFL. There’s a line between players who have had really successful careers in the NFL, starting about 25 games in college, and being able to do that.” I wanted to,” Ewers said. To maximize your potential. ”
Ewers started 36 games at Texas, leading the team to the Big 12 Championship in his final year in the league, an SEC Championship appearance in his debut season and back-to-back appearances in the CFP semifinals. He went 21-5 as a starter over the past two seasons and was named second-team All-SEC in 2024. In three years at Texas, Ewers completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 9,128 yards, 68 touchdowns, and 24 interceptions.
Ewers is a former No. 1 recruit in the nation who famously left high school early and reclassified into Ohio State’s loaded 2021 class. Although he did this to take advantage of a pioneering NIL contract, Ewers transferred to Texas after one semester in search of more playing time after serving as a backup to C.J. Stroud.
But no matter what Ewers did in Austin, he couldn’t live up to the hype and expectations of fans. He led the Longhorns to big wins over Alabama and Michigan and helped coach Steve Sarkisian rebuild the program into an elite powerhouse. However, once Arch Manning arrived on campus, fans began calling for a backup to replace Ewers. Ewers, who became good friends with Manning, never paid attention to what people were saying about him on social media, message boards, and elsewhere. He only cared about what his teammates and coaches thought of him, which helped the QB maintain a calm and steady presence on and off the field.
“I’m so proud of Quinn,” Sarkisian said after the CFP semifinals. “I don’t know if he’s going to live up to the standards that everyone thinks he should be, but at the end of the day, what he did was show up every day and work and be a great leader and be a great leader. It was all I could do.” He’s a great teammate. That’s his accomplishment. This is because in this day and age, it is natural for humans to look at things like Twitter, Instagram, social media, written articles, and fan boards.
“But this guy never did that. He fought through it all. He never complained. And I think that’s why he’s so respected by his teammates.”
Ewers talked about his development in Texas. He has come a long way, from having his car towed in his freshman year to cutting his mullet before his sophomore year. And this past season, it was clear how much the team respected him. He also battled injuries each season, but each time he came back and worked hard to lead the Longhorns.
As the matchup against the Buckeyes began, it was a full-circle moment for Ewers as he faced his former team, but reports emerged that the QB would be entering the transfer portal after the season. But seeing Ewers in a college football uniform that isn’t burnt orange would be hard to believe at this point. It was always a dream of his to play for the Longhorns. The reason he went to Ohio State in the first place was because Texas didn’t have a similar NIL opportunity available at the time.
Asked ahead of the Cotton Bowl if he had ever thought about being the Buckeyes’ quarterback since transferring, Ewers replied, “No, sir. This is my dream here.”
In the 28-14 loss to Ohio State, Ewers completed 23 of 39 for 283 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. His career at Texas was mostly a success, but the harsh reality is that he may be remembered for one of the last plays of that game. The Longhorns were unable to complete a first-and-goal from the 1, and Ewers ultimately scooped the ball on fourth down by former Buckeyes roommate Jack Sawyer and ran it back 83 yards for a touchdown. was taken away. With 2 minutes and 13 seconds remaining, it gave the team a two-point lead.
Ewers didn’t want this to be the end of his college career, but he’s ready for his next challenge in the NFL.
Laken Littman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today, and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of Strong Like a Woman, published in spring 2022 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Title IX. follow her @LakenLitman.
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