Quinn Ewers Likely to Enter 2025 NFL Draft After Texas’ CFP Run amid Transfer Rumors

Julia StumbaughJanuary 11, 2025

Adam Hagy/CFP/Getty Images

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers believes he has played his final season of college football.

When asked by ESPN’s Pete Thamel if he expects to play in the NFL next season, Ewers answered “Yes.”

He added, “We’ll see,” per Thamel.

Thamel also asked Ewers if he expected to play in the NCAA next season. The Longhorns quarterback answered, “No.”

College GameDay @CollegeGameDayFrom his completion on 4th & 13, facing his former school, his playing future and more, Quinn Ewers sits down with @PeteThamel before the Longhorns face the Buckeyes 🤘 pic.twitter.com/r06pz6mKSu

Ewers and Texas kick off the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. ET. The winner will advance to face Notre Dame in the national championship game.

According to Thamel, “sources close to Ewers” told him there is an “overwhelming likelihood” the quarterback declares for the 2025 draft.

Ewers was already expected to move on from Texas this spring as Longhorns backup Arch Manning eyes a shot at starting next season.

But that path could take him to another college program rather than the draft. On3’s Pete Nakos recently reported Ewers had received a $6 million offer to enter the transfer portal this spring.

When asked about that report on Wednesday, Ewers said he was focused only on the matchup with Ohio State, per USA Today’s Dan Wolken.

Wolken then asked Ewers if the result of the semifinal, and potentially the national championship game, would impact his decision. “That’s a great question,” Ewers answered, per Wolken.

Ewers went on to tell Thamel he “hadn’t even paid attention to” the rumors regarding the transfer portal offer.

“I’m not really sure what’s going on,” Ewers said.

This is the second straight season in which Ewers has led the Longhorns to a national semifinal appearance. His completion rate dipped to 66.5 percent this season, but he has thrown for 3,189 yards with 29 touchdowns and 11 interceptions through 13 starts.

The fourth-year senior, who began his career as a backup at Ohio State before transferring to Texas, had originally planned to enter the 2024 NFL Draft, according to Thamel.

He decided not to enter because he finished the campaign with fewer than 25 college starts, a benchmark correlated with quarterback readiness for the NFL, per Thamel.

One NFL general manager told Thamel there is “wild variance” among his scouts as to where Ewers should go in the upcoming draft. He could help increase his stock, and his chances of being selected early by a quarterback-needy team, by leading Texas to victory on Friday night.