
Quinn Ewers’ final year in college football was far from smooth. Despite his strong performances, the Texas Longhorns quarterback could never quite escape the shadow of Arch Manning. Now, just days away from the 2025 NFL Draft, Ewers is reflecting on his unconventional journey-starting with his decision to skip his senior year of high school.
In a recent episode of Gruden’s QB Class podcast, former NFL head coach Jon Gruden described Ewers’ high school career as “one of the most mysterious” he’d ever seen. The young quarterback acknowledged that he had been one of the most sought-after prospects during his high school years.
Ewers recalled a pivotal moment at a summer camp at the University of North Carolina, where, as a rising seventh-grader, the Tar Heels’ coaching staff offered him a scholarship to play football. However, fate had different plans for him-ones that unfolded faster than he could have imagined.
A time warp
Entering his junior year, Ewers was widely regarded as the nation’s top prospect in the 2022 recruiting class. However, he made the bold decision to reclassify, accelerating his timeline to join the 2021 class. Initially, he committed to Texas in 2020, but an unexpected legal hurdle forced him to rethink his path.
“The Texas legislature wasn’t going to let high school players get paid,” Ewers explained to Gruden. “And I had a $1.4 million memorabilia deal in front of me-I wasn’t going to pass that up.” So, instead of suiting up for the Longhorns right away, Ewers enrolled at Ohio State, spending his freshman season backing up C.J. Stroud.
For his sophomore campaign, Ewers returned to familiar territory, transferring back to Texas and spending three seasons with the Longhorns. Although his final year was made more challenging by competition with Arch Manning, Ewers is now just one step away from achieving his NFL dream.
Ewers, the road warrior
Gruden has never been shy about praising the talent of his guests, and Ewers was no exception. The Super Bowl-winning coach highlighted the quarterback’s ability to perform in clutch moments and lauded his powerful arm. However, what impressed him most was Ewers’ ability to win games on the road.
“He’s a road warrior,” Gruden declared. “This guy goes to Michigan, he goes to Alabama-he wins big games on the road. This guy is a winner and a great competitor.”
Now, the question remains: Will NFL teams see what Gruden sees and give Ewers the chance to prove himself at the next level?
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