Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers underperformed in his redshirt junior season, leaving many to believe he’d transfer and develop for one more season at the college level. Instead, he entered the 2025 NFL Draft.
With roughly three months until the draft, Ewers’ draft stock remains cloudy. An NFL Draft expert expressed his concern for Ewer’s stock and speculated on what caused his lackluster junior season.
Quinn Ewers’ Draft Stock Brought Into Question by NFL Draft Expert
Many eyebrows were raised around the college football and NFL world when Ewers decided to forego his final season of eligibility and enter the 2025 NFL Draft.
Heading into the 2024 season, Ewers was projected to be a high first-round selection in 2025 — some draft experts even had him as their No. 1 rated quarterback.
While appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah expressed how he felt about Ewers heading into the season and speculated on how his disappointing junior season may affect his draft stock.
“With Ewers, I watched him over the summer and was excited about him coming into the year,” Jeremiah said. “I felt like I was higher on him than a lot of people. Now he got hurt, and one of the things I’ve got to try and figure out and get information on as we go through the spring is how much of that impacted him. Because he didn’t play as well, he wasn’t as urgent and quick.”
Ewers posted a career-best 31 touchdowns in 2024, nine higher than the 22 touchdowns he threw the season prior. But his interceptions also doubled, from six to 12, while his completion rate fell by 3.2%.
MORE: Where Does Ewers Land on Our 2025 NFL Draft QB Rankings?
Jeremiah continued, citing the possible lingering injuries that may have resulted in Ewers’ subpar play compared to expectations:
“But then he had the oblique that bothered him; he had a high-ankle sprain. So, how much did that impact him? He didn’t play as well as me and some others had hoped he would based off where he was last year.”
Ewers injured his oblique in the Longhorns’ third game of the season against the UTSA Roadrunners. Backup Arch Manning scored five total TDs in relief and led Texas to two more victories while Ewers was recovering.
He started the rest of the season but suffered an ankle sprain against the Kentucky Wildcats on Nov. 23. He didn’t miss any time, but his mobility and overall play seemed to be hampered by the ongoing recovery from both injuries.
The expectation was that, following the Longhorns season, Ewers would enter the transfer portal and develop for one more season due to his falling draft stock. Manning had waited his turn and was poised to start in 2025.
Carson Beck, former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback, was in a similar situation as a guy who had huge expectations heading into 2024 yet underperformed. Beck transferred to join the Miami Hurricanes for his final season, earning a reported $4 million in NIL money.
Reports cited that Ewers could’ve commanded even more than that.
Ewers’ draft stock undoubtedly fell during the 2024 season, but it’s unclear exactly where he’ll be drafted. Some have him slotted as a midround pick at best.
Others predict he’ll be a fast riser up draft boards due to his arm talent and high character that he can show in front of scouts and coaches during the NFL Combine and pro day — as well as the injuries that may have caused his lackluster season.
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The contingent belief is still that he should’ve stayed and developed for one more at the college level, but it only takes one team that believes in his talent to take him with a potential second-round pick.
With nearly a quarter of the league in the market for a quarterback — and others putting together contingency plans for aging starters — it’s certainly possible.
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