Quinn Ewers makes a final decision for NFL future, clearing Arch Manning's path

After quarterback Quinn Ewers and the Texas Longhorns were eliminated from the CFP after their loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes 28-14 in the Cotton Bowl, all eyes have been on Ewers. Fans and experts were waiting to see if he would declare for the 2025 NFL draft or stick around for his final season of NCAA eligibility.

The deadline to declare for the 2025 NFL draft is Wednesday for players not participating in the National Championship. On Wednesday morning, college football insider Pete Thamel reported that Quinn Ewers had officially declared for the 2025 NFL draft.

"Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is declaring for the NFL draft, his agent Ron Slavin told ESPN," Thamel wrote on X. "The decision ends a career at Texas that saw him go 21-5 as a starter the last two years revive and lead the Longhorns to the school’s only two CFP appearances."

In his career at Texas, Quinn Ewers won the Big 12 Championship in 2023 and led the Longhorns to a CFP semifinal appearance in 2024. As a result of Ewers's decision, Arch Manning will have a clear path to the starting position in 2025 at Texas.

When is Quinn Ewers projected to be drafted in the 2025 NFL draft

Before the 2024 college football regular season started, Quinn Ewers was viewed as one of the top quarterbacks in his class. However, he took a step back from his 2023 season. Part of the reason for that was a series of injuries that impacted his play, but regardless of the reasons, he is no longer viewed as a top-five quarterback in his draft class.

According to Pro Football Focus, Ewers is the seventh-ranked quarterback in the draft, and the 124th ranked player overall. However, since Ewers is a quarterback, he is more likely to get drafted higher than his ranking would suggest. NFL teams typically do not hesitate to draft quarterbacks higher than their overall ranking projects.

This season's quarterback class is viewed as weak compared to previous years. Even Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward, who are projected to be drafted in the first five picks, have their doubters.

As a result, there is a strong possibility that only a few quarterbacks will get drafted in the first round. For Ewers, most draft experts agree that it is unlikely that he will be drafted in the first round. Most pundits feel that he will fall at least to the second round.