Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers announced that he is declaring for the NFL Draft and will not return to college football.
Ewers posted a video on Instagram announcing his decision to leave college football, saying he has always “dreamed about playing football on the 40 Acres.”
“These past three years have been some of the best years I could have imagined. The relationships I’ve built between coaches and teammates will last forever. I’m truly thankful for the opportunity to play football in my home state for the best university in the world. With prayer and careful consideration, I’m officially declaring for the NFL Draft,” he stated.
Ewers, who transferred to the university in 2021, spent three seasons with the Longhorns, leading Texas to an overall record of 33-10 and two appearances in the College Football Playoffs.
Ewers was one of the most impactful quarterbacks in the sport. He led the Longhorns with 3,472 passing yards and 31 touchdowns while completing 65.8% of his passing attempts.
However, turnovers plagued Ewers during his final season at Texas. He threw 12 interceptions and also fumbled on one of the Longhorns’ final possessions of the season against Ohio State.
The long-term money Ewers could make by signing with an NFL team will likely exceed the money he would make by staying in college, but new reports indicate that the former Longhorn quarterback turned down a massive NIL deal to enter the draft.
247 Sports’ Chip Brown reported Thursday morning that Ewers turned down a NIL contract worth $8 million to transfer to another university in his final year of collegiate eligibility.
Sources close to this situation stated that Ewers made this decision due to his intent to enter the NFL while also feeling strongly about a desire to preserve his time with the Longhorns.
Ewers has the potential to be one of the most coveted quarterback prospects in the upcoming draft and could be selected in the second or third round, meaning he may make an impact on a team early in his career.
However, these projections could change significantly as Ewers undergoes a scrutinous pre-draft process with NFL teams.
Now, the Longhorns will look to sophomore quarterback Arch Manning to lead the program for at least one season, which is a reality that many fans of the program have been excited about for the past two seasons.
Manning played just two full games for the Longhorns this season after Ewers suffered an injury and led the team to victories in each appearance, throwing for 583 total yards and four touchdowns in those games.
Texas utilized Manning during other portions of the season due to his ability to run the ball, allowing Head Coach Steve Sarkisian to create various packages for him to throw or run the ball to pick up short yardage.
The expectations for Manning will be high entering the 2025 season, but his time sitting behind Ewers and his experience during small portions of the game will likely play a significant role in his future performance.