The debate over where Quinn Ewers stands among the 2025 quarterback draft class and whether he will live up to his lofty recruiting rankings is ongoing.
As Texas Longhorns redshirt junior quarterback Quinn Ewers returns for another season, he aims to live out his lifelong dream of playing in burnt orange and white while positioning himself for the 2025 NFL Draft. A critical storyline for the Southlake Carroll product is whether his production and on-field accomplishments will finally match the high expectations set by his recruiting rankings, which once pegged him as the best quarterback prospect of the modern era.
Projections and Skepticism
Ewers remains a highly regarded professional prospect. Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranks him as the second-best quarterback for next season, behind Georgia’s Carson Beck. However, anonymous coaches who spoke to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic are more skeptical of Ewers.
Critical Opinions
A defensive backs coach who played against Texas last year commented, “I’m not that high on him. Overhyped. He has a good arm, and he did have a lot of talent around him, but you just see a bunch of stuff where you wonder what he’s doing out there.”
This assessment might seem fair if the standard is evaluating Ewers as the best quarterback prospect of a generation. A more nuanced perspective would consider the missed reps due to injuries in high school and his time buried on the depth chart at Ohio State after reclassifying to the 2021 recruiting class.
Ewers’ Growth and Performance
In 2022, the Texas offense faced limitations, including injuries to key players like Xavier Worthy, Isaiah Neyor, and Jordan Whittington. Despite these challenges, Ewers showed significant improvement in 2023, with his completion percentage rising to 69%, yards per attempt increasing to 8.8, and interception rate dropping to 1.5%.
Ewers’ improved performance and his ability to read defenses and enhance his pocket presence have been highlighted by Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. “Right now, I’m really just trying to focus on defensive recognition, anticipating what they can do so I can get the reads faster — it just makes my job a lot easier,” Ewers said during spring practice.
Opinions on Ewers’ Potential
A veteran Big 12 assistant noted, “I think he’s just still trying to figure things out. Sark does such a good job of setting things up for him, and so you’ll see times where he’ll rip it, but then there are other times, he just seems to be a little timid.”
This aligns with Ewers’ decision to return to Texas, partly influenced by the strength of the 2024 NFL Draft class and a belief in the correlation between college experience and NFL success. Ewers said, “I just wanted to put myself in a better spot to be able to succeed at a high level once I hopefully get there.”
Athleticism and Comparisons
A Big 12 defensive assistant remarked, “I’m very curious to watch him this year. The last two years he had superstars around him. There’s some ‘Oh My God!’ throws on film that he made against Alabama, but he was just so inconsistent. I think he’s about average athletically.”
This assessment highlights the talent around Ewers and Sarkisian’s play-calling. It suggests Ewers might have been a cog in a bigger system rather than the driving force. However, this view overlooks that all successful quarterbacks benefit from talented teammates and competent play-calling.
Mahomes Comparisons and Future Potential
A Big 12 defensive coordinator added, “I do think he’s come a long way from 2022. There was too much of the Mahomes comparisons around him coming into college. He does have a good arm, but he’s not anywhere near as athletic nor the playmaker Mahomes is, or has that kind of presence.”
Comparisons to Mahomes were primarily about Ewers’ ability to deliver off-platform throws. Unlike Mahomes, who was a three-star prospect with limited team success at Texas Tech, Ewers has already achieved significant personal and team success. His decision to enroll at Texas was a sound business decision to benefit from Sarkisian’s offensive scheme and the talent around him.
Ewers’ journey is still unfolding. The skepticism from coaches, based on his perceived inconsistencies and the talent around him, highlights the challenges he faces. However, his improvement and commitment to refining his skills suggest a positive trajectory. As Ewers continues to develop, the focus will likely shift from his recruiting rankings and comparisons to Mahomes to his accomplishments on the field and his potential in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Leave a Reply