Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers was viewed by some analysts as a potential first-round pick before the start of the 2024 season.
As the year played out, Ewers' draft profile seemed to drop, even as the Longhorns kept winning and his stats remained solid. With one year of eligibility remaining, the former five-star prospect elected to enter the 2025 NFL Draft, even though Ewers probably could have made a large chunk of NIL money had he remained in college.
Because Texas was ready to make the switch to Arch Manning, Ewers would have had to transfer elsewhere for his final college season. That might look like a better alternative than what Ewers is experiencing now.
We're currently in the sixth round and Ewers has yet to hear his name called. Nine quarterbacks have been taken, including three earlier in the sixth round.
As Ewers waits to see if he'll be picked, football fans on social media are suggesting he made a mistake in judgment.
"Quinn Ewers should’ve stayed another year in college dawg he’s gonna be making minimum wage," one person said.
"So Quinn Ewers maybe really should have stayed in college and transferred somewhere," a second person suggested.
"Quinn ewers could’ve probably stayed in college and made a lot of money," a third person said.
"Quinn Ewers right now could be the highest paid NIL player in the NCAA with a chance to ball out at a top program and actually get drafted with a shot to play in the NFL. Instead, he is facing going undrafted here and maybe not making a team. Who advises these guys!" a fourth person added.
"I wonder how much NIL money Quinn Ewers was offered to stay in college for 1 more year," a fifth person chimed in.
"Quinn Ewers shoulda hit the portal. He got bad advice," another person added.
Is it likely Ewers would have been well-paid had he stayed in college another season? Yes, and he would have possibly had a chance to help boost his draft stock somewhat.
At the same time though, people can get to a point where they are just ready to move on and experience something new. Ewers may have felt it was just time to turn pro, regardless of where he gets picked.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!