The 2024 NFL Draft class is expected to have several top college football quarterbacks worthy of a potential first-round pick, including Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and more. One name that no longer appears to be in that mix is Texas’ Quinn Ewers, who missed two starts due to a grade two AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder this season.
Previously, Ewers, who is in his third season with the Texas Longhorns, was viewed as a strong candidate to be a potential first-round QB. His big 10-point win over Alabama earlier this season, where Ewers finished with 349 passing yards and three touchdowns, had NFL scouts buzzing.
But now, as ESPN’s college football insider Pete Thamel says, the chances of Ewers returning to Texas for a fourth season have “increased exponentially” in the past few weeks. Reports suggest sources close to Ewers are advising the 20-year-old to play one more season of college football, feeling it would be best for his long-term development.
An official decision on Ewers’ plans could come as soon as next week, with the NCAA transfer portal opening Monday. Should Ewers return, it would likely be a big boost to Texas’ chances of adding more talent this offseason.
Ewers has even recently begun following some of the top pass-catchers in the transfer portal, in a possible hint of his future plans. Early speculation suggests that if Ewers were to have another strong season at Texas, he could even be in the mix to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Longhorns also have Arch Manning and Maalik Murphy waiting in the wings at QB. It’s unknown how Ewers’s expected decision could impact the rest of Texas’s QB depth chart, but a return could signal more movement.
