Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers raised eyebrows on Wednesday when he introduced his intention to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft.
But, as perplexing because it appears, it might find yourself being a good move based mostly on an underwhelming quarterback class.
After six quarterbacks have been chosen within the prime 12 of final 12 months’s draft, solely two — Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward — have first-round grades in early evaluations of 2025 prospects.
Like every good quarterback, Ewers is aware of easy methods to exploit a weak point when he sees it.
Ewers led Texas to the CFP semifinals this season for the second consecutive 12 months. Over the previous two seasons, Ewers accomplished 67.3 p.c of his go makes an attempt for six,951 yards (8.3 yards per try), 53 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
Ewers has a fast launch, averaging 2.59 seconds time to throw in 2024, and above-average accuracy, rating nineteenth out of 94 quarterbacks with at the least 320 dropbacks in adjusted completion proportion (75.8 p.c), according to Pro Football Focus. Focused gamers dropped 24 passes from Ewers, which tied for the Thirteenth-most amongst all FBS quarterbacks.
Those that watched Texas in its largest video games witnessed Ewers’ limitations. He is careless with the soccer, throwing an interception in 5 consecutive video games to finish the season and in 10 of 14 video games total in 2024.
Ewers additionally struggles with stress, ending the season with a 23.2 p.c pressure-to-sack ratio, per PFF.
In an important play of Texas’ season, Ohio State defensive finish Jack Sawyer chased down Ewers for a sack and fumble that the senior defenseman returned 83 yards for a landing.
Last month, On3’s Pete Nakos reported that Ewers acquired a $6 million provide from one other school workforce to stay in school and enter the switch portal. Nonetheless, Ewers has lots of work to do to earn that on his four-year rookie contract.
Per The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler, “Scouts’ grades on Ewers ranged from the second to the fourth spherical” in December. The pre-draft course of can be essential for Ewers to surge up groups’ huge boards.
According to Over The Cap, the primary choose of the second spherical may have a $1.9 million cap quantity in 2025 and earn $10.5 million over the lifetime of his contract. The final choose of the fourth spherical will earn lower than one million as a rookie and $4.7 million total. Solely the highest 5 gamers will earn at the least $6 million of their first 12 months within the league.
There is a gulf between Sanders and Ward and the remainder of the 2025 class, however with so many NFL groups determined for a quarterback, one may discuss themselves into choosing Ewers a lot sooner than he seemingly ought to.
