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 may find yourself being a good move based mostly on an underwhelming quarterback class.
After six quarterbacks had 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 all good quarterback, Ewers is aware of how you can 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 % of his cross 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 a minimum of 320 dropbacks in adjusted completion share (75.8 %), 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 general in 2024.
Ewers additionally struggles with stress, ending the season with a 23.2 % pressure-to-sack ratio, per PFF.
In a very powerful 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 faculty workforce to stay in faculty and enter the switch portal. Nonetheless, Ewers has a variety 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 will probably be vital for Ewers to surge up groups’ huge boards.
According to Over The Cap, the primary choose of the second spherical can 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 1,000,000 as a rookie and $4.7 million general. Solely the highest 5 gamers will earn a minimum of $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 would possibly discuss themselves into choosing Ewers a lot sooner than he probably ought to.