Quinn Ewers has been under the microscope for a while now. The former five-star quarterback has led the Longhorns to back-to-back playoff appearances, with 2024 being the best as a national title looms in the balance. But wait, he did not do it in a straight line. Ewers has had a tumultuous season in Austin. In the mid-season, a grave oblique strain restricted his game time for four long weeks. Even when he returned, he looked far from what his lofty stat implies. Ewers dropped the ball during the SEC championship game against Georgia. However, when it mattered the most against the Sun Devils, Ewers delivered, and then, delivered some more, ensuring a thrilling win in a double OT game.

But despite all the glimmers, Arch Manning’s fantasy isn’t going anywhere from the mix, giving Ewers an ultimatum. He clearly has two options: returning to college for another year or leaving for the NFL. On3 analyst JD Pickell makes the dilemma simpler to solve.

Quinn Ewers’ college football return seems more logical than you think

Despite being declared for the NFL, the fans and veterans alike are rooting for another college football year for the kid. But one thing is sure: even if he does, it won’t be Texas. The Longhorns got their de facto quarterback (Arch Manning), whom they no longer can sleep on in the next season. So, it’s either the NFL or another conference school for the 21-year-old. College football gets more votes on predominantly two grounds. The first and foremost one is money.

”Sources tell On3 that Quinn Ewers is receiving $6 million offers to hit the transfer portal. Yes, folks, that is tampering. But if it’s purely about money, does that make sense because a third-round pick, per a Google search, is in the neighborhood of 6 million? Look, the money is nice, $6 million is awesome to stay in college, but if we are only just looking at the money, I don’t know that we are giving a complete view of this whole thing,” said Pickell.

The money talks are real, but listen carefully to the On3 logic. Ewers can easily draw the same or bigger amount even as the worst pick of the NFL so, money is not the driver here.

Then what is it? If we pay heed to the rumors, you will learn that Quinn Ewers isn’t NFL-ready, which is true to some extent. The QB phenom gave up a brutal interception in the early half of the Arizona State game. The comebacks and the big plays are largely inconsistent, something you can’t bet a dime for. So, staying another year in college would mean honing her craft better before acing the pro market.

“If it’s about being ready, let’s go somewhere else, let’s transfer, let’s develop, let’s help ourselves. If he comes back next year, let’s say he goes somewhere else, but his draft stock judge doesn’t change, it’s still a third-round pick, a second-round pick, scouts will shout that they love existence they want to see guys have started and play more college,” said the On3 mogul rightly articulating how another year in college would benefit Ewers in either way.

Ewers get extraordinary talent to explore more outside Texas. Arch Manning will have his room to shine on, and Ewers’ natural arm strength, throwing accuracy, and pocket poise will serve another school in the process. A picture-perfect futurescape for 2025. After all, as Pickell sees, ”it’s much better than wait a year and then have a long NFL career than to jump in right now.”

NFL veteran Shannon Sharpe and Ocho have a more harsh reality check on the Texas main event, Quinn Ewers.

Shannon Sharpe burst the ‘special guy’ myth about Quinn Ewers

Quinn Ewers proved himself a lot in the first two college football playoff games, bagging a total of 524 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions. He even convinced some of his toxic critics that he is still not outdated in Texas, no matter how good and artsy Arch Manning is. With 8800 yards and 66 TDs in his whole career, it’s not easy to match up his numbers and talent for any other high-profile signal caller on the field.

But Shannon Sharpe believes he is still not a pop-out player like Cam Ward or any other headliner QB in the room. Ewers, as per his judgment, still needs time to reach that level. He is just a boy who can’t be entrusted to make any drastic change in any NFL league in the season. Quinn is not that special. It doesn’t mean that he can’t ever be the show-stopper, but he needs to take a pause and try to build the stock higher with any other school than Texas for a year.

Sharpe draws a parallel to NFL biggie Joe Burrow, who did the same, got out of the mediocrity with one extra year in college before nailing it as a pro over the years. However, despite the debate, Ewers believes in the ‘first comes first’ theory for the time being. He has a Sugar Bowl approaching, and he can’t think of anything else other than exerting revenge against the Buckeyes for a 2021 letdown as a Kansas State wildcat.

The NFL or college football squabble can wait.