Ulterior Motive Behind Quinn Ewers’ NFL Draft Move Revealed Despite Scouts’ Firm Stance

Say someone asks you for one microcosm that explains the entirety of just how cruel College Football can be. Look no further than Quinn Ewers’ final action in Texas burnt orange. An interception, after fumbling the football and with it his team’s hopes for the Natty.

It’s now official. That interception Ewers threw to Caleb Downs came about on his last-ever snap in CFB. He’s declared for the NFL Draft. This declaration comes in the midst of contentious discourse about what he should do going forward. A vocal majority of fans and analysts alike suggested he should hit the transfer portal and seek to improve his stock. This school of thought had its rationale. The 2024 season was not the greatest for Ewers individually, albeit the Longhorns did make the final 4. However, it’s becoming conspicuous now pertaining to why Quinn Ewers chose to pursue this ascension to the top rung of the footballing ladder right away.

In the lead-up to this development, revered draft analyst Todd McShay leveraged his assessment of Quinn Ewers. His grading took into consideration various factors, including the fact Ewers was allegedly playing with injury all season. McShay discerned that the landscape for Ewers come April is rather barren. He even concurred with people in the league before coming to this conclusion.

“I talked to NFL teams and [I’ve gotten] solicited and unsolicited [advice],” said Todd McShay on his namesake show/podcast. “When I’m talking to guys in the league, [by a] landslide [the response is] ‘He needs to grad transfer'”. So if that’s what analysts, as well as the powers that be, think of Quinn Ewers, why is he doing this? McShay’s co-host and fellow draft specialist Stephen Muench has an intriguing hypothesis.

Muench actually does believe Ewers should’ve stayed for another year. “I completely agree…he should go back to school”, Muench claimed. However, he prefaced this with a caveat that perhaps explains what caused Ewers to decide otherwise. “I would give [Quinn Ewers] a 3rd round grade. But the class is so weak; it’s probably gonna inflate his value a little bit. Where he actually goes will probably be earlier than where we, or I, would grade him. So I get [the decision].” That’s a very shrewd point, backed by evidence.

It’s not just hearsay that this quarterback class is relatively weak. In fact, it’s a far cry from last season. The 2024 NFL Draft saw more QBs selected in the first round than any iteration since the draft’s inception. This year, the general consensus is that merely 2 signal callers will be afforded the honor. Next year, the number will likely go up once again. Garrett Nussmeier, Drew Allar, Carson Beck and maybe even Ewers’ successor in Austin, Arch Manning, to name some obvious ones. There is a gap in the market that can be exploited, and Quinn Ewers fits the bill.

Quinn Ewers could strike gold if franchises move with a certain directive

As aforementioned, only 2 QBs are expected to be Day 1 picks. But there are more than 2 franchises with a need for one. There is a tangible trail of thought that suggests that teams which miss out on Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward should forego drafting a quarterback in the first round altogether. Then, pursue an alternative strategy. This is where an opportune Quinn Ewers can swoop in.

The issues at certain teams run so deep that they could indulge in some acrobatics. Those needing a QB but picking later than the top 3, which’ll be required for Shedeur and Cam, could trade back in return for more first-round capital. This would allow them to draft multiple high-caliber picks. Filling out the supporting cast instead of going all-in on the quarterback. Then, draft a QB in the later rounds. This class is lacking in the quarterback position but is full to the brim with talent elsewhere.

If Ewers slides to the 2nd or 3rd round, he could be an option which franchises look to pursue this strategy. A number of teams fall into this category. The  Giants, Raiders and  Jets are all likely to need starting quarterbacks. If not, as a year 1 rookie starter, Quinn Ewers can at least see a route atop the depth chart in due time. He’s not the only one that’ll be vying for something similar. Considering all the different permutations possible between now and April, it’s becoming apparent why Ewers chose to traverse this path to the NFL. He’ll look to leave a mark at the Combine next month.