Quinn Ewers Choosing NFL Draft Could Be Cautionary Tale For QBs In NIL Era
Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers was once considered a potential first-round pick in the NFL Draft. However, an inefficient senior season where he led the SEC in interceptions sent him plummeting down the draft boards.
Ewers didn't hear his name called until the seventh round, when the Miami Dolphins selected the quarterback with the 231st pick in the NFL Draft, making him the 13th QB picked. A far cry from his potential as a former five-star prospect coming out of high school and the #1 quarterback prospect in 2022.
Obviously, Ewers couldn't return to Texas. The Longhorns are set to turn their offense over to another five-star prospect, Arch Manning. Manning, the nephew of NFL greats Peyton and Eli Manning and the grandson of Archie Manning, didn't play much as a freshman but got a few more opportunities in 2024 with Ewers struggling. His time is now.
However, Ewers could easily have entered the transfer portal and would have had potential suitors. And, in this modern era of college sports with NIL, Ewers could have earned quite a bit of money. Miami is rumored to have given Carson Beck, the former Georgia QB, over $4 million to transfer. That number might not be accurate, but it's clear that Beck made some good money.
Texas QB Quinn Ewers elected to declare for the NFL Draft rather than enter the college football transfer portal, which likely cost him a lot of money in the short-term.
(Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
So, what could Ewers have fetched? We don't know the answer to that, but we do know that it would likely have exceeded $2-3 million. In other words, more than he will make in the NFL next season. As the 231st pick in the NFL Draft, Ewers will earn about $830K in his first NFL season. He will, in all likelihood, sign a four-year deal worth around $4.3 million.
Plus, another season could have improved his draft stock for 2026, which could then have earned him even more money in the NFL. The benefit to going to the NFL now is that Ewers is closer to a potential second contract, which could theoretically be worth a lot of money. But that's only if Ewers shows he can play in the league.
If he can't, then he badly miscalculated by leaving college with a year of eligibility remaining. Not only would he have missed out on the money he could have earned in 2025-26, but it could cost him an additional year of pay if he can't secure a second NFL contract.
It's fair to wonder if future college quarterbacks might look at Ewers as a cautionary tale and elect to spend an extra year in college if they're not certain they're going to be picked in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft.