Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers has been beset by injuries this season, missing three weeks of action due to an oblique strain earlier in the year allowing backup QB Arch Manning to shine in his absence. Ewers has since reclaimed his QB1 status and, most recently, led the Longhorns to a comprehensive 31-14 win over the Kentucky Wildcats despite an ankle sprain in the fourth quarter of the game.
Yahoo Sports analyst Anwar Richardson revealed on X that despite his ankle sprain, Ewers is expected to play in the Longhorns’ crucial Week 14 game against the Texas A&M Aggies over Manning.
Fans React to Quinn Ewers Playing Over Arch Manning
The news that the NFL-bound Ewers would play against Texas A&M over Manning despite nursing an injury received mixed reactions from fans on X. The two quarterbacks have been stellar this season, but there has been a bit of debate as to which one gives Texas the best shot at remaining near the top of the college football rankings.
Right now, Texas sits in third place in the AP Top 25, competing with Oregon, Ohio State, and Penn State for the top spot. While both Ewers and Manning have brought the Longhorns wins this year, some fans believe Manning, even though he is younger, will give them the best chance at staying competitive.
“I’ll bet you any amount of money right now that Quinn Ewers is not a starting quarterback in the NFL for more than five years & that Arch Manning is. If only you were old enough to remember Colt McCoy, Vince, and other great quarterbacks Texas had you wouldn’t think Quinn was so amazing. He’s basically Sam Ehlinger. lol,” one fan tweeted.
“Someone tell Arch to be ready,” another said.
Someone tell Arch to be ready.
— Mark (@AronVonBrando) November 24, 2024
“Not sure who gives us a better chance to win,” one fan tweeted.
“They are prepping the wrong QB then,” said another fan.
“Thats not good news. Go Arch!” Another fan tweeted.
Clearly, fans are torn. However, despite the discourse, having two very capable quarterbacks cannot be a bad thing.
With the NFL Draft just around the corner, who knows what Texas’ QB room will look like next year? At least now, fans can find solace in knowing that the position is in really good shape as they eye a potential national championship.
Ewers To Declare for NFL
Ewers has an extra year of eligibility, and despite being expected to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft, he opted to return to Austin for an extra year. This past Saturday, 247 Sports analyst Chip Brown reported that Ewers is expected to definitively declare for the 2025 NFL Draft after walking out for Senior Day.
“I spoke to two sources close to Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers on Wednesday night who said they expect Ewers to enter the 2025 NFL draft after this season, meaning Saturday’s game against Kentucky (2:30 p.m., ABC) would be Ewers’ last regular season home game as a Longhorn,” Brown wrote in his weekly column.
#Texas QB Quinn Ewers , a redshirt junior, makes the walk for Senior Day. Horns247 reported on Thursday Ewers is expected to enter the 2025 NFL Draft. pic.twitter.com/poeD2vwLsU
— Chip Brown (@ChipBrown247) November 23, 2024
In September, ESPN Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. lavished praise on Ewers during an appearance on “First Draft” and projected him to be the first quarterback picked in the class of 2025.
“In my opinion, right now, he’s (Ewers) got to be right there as the elite quarterback in this draft at QB1, with Carson Beck out of Georgia, Shedeur Sanders [at Colorado]… Cam Ward at Miami, Jalen Milroe from Alabama will be there to challenge,” Kiper said. “But I think you can make a strong case right now that Ewers is QB1 in this draft.”
In Pro Football Network NFL Draft Analyst Ian Cummings’ latest seven-round 2025 NFL Mock Draft, Ewers was selected No. 35 overall in Round 2 by the Tennessee Titans.
Here is what Cummings had to say about Ewers landing in Tennessee:
“In this 2025 NFL Mock Draft, the Titans manage to add Will Levis’ potential replacement in Quinn Ewers — ironically at the top of Round 2, the same place Levis was taken. Ewers doesn’t quite have Levis’ arm strength, but he’s a much more natural off-platform passer, with superior accuracy and control in high-pressure situations.”
Wherever Ewers ends up in the draft could be decided by how he performs for the rest of the season and the postseason when compared to his competitors at the position.