Quinn Ewers increasingly likely to put Texas in a difficult QB position

The Texas Longhorns entered this weekend looking to win yet another Big 12 Championship before they depart for the SEC next season. Not only that but to secure a path to the four-team College Football Playoff. Ahead of the big game, there was some big news regarding quarterback Quinn Ewers.

Ewers has been considered one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class. But there was some recent reporting indicating that the quarterback returning to Texas for his junior year could be a possibility. There is now a new update regarding Ewers.

According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, "the likelihood" of Ewers returning to Texas for the 2024 season has "increased exponentially in the past few weeks." Thamel continued, saying Ewers' camp feels that developing for one more year at college would "best position him for long-term success in the NFL."

Quinn Ewers chances to return to Texas reportedly 'increased exponentially'

Ewers' decision could be coming in the next week, per Thamel, due in part to the NCAA transfer portal opening up this Monday, Dec. 4. Thamel says that Ewers would "be a lure for top stars, especially wide receivers."

The 2024 NFL Draft class has become rather crowded. While USC's Caleb Williams and North Carolina's Drake Maye are QB1 and QB2 (whichever order) in the class, there are other quarterbacks like Michigan's J.J. McCarthy, Washington's Michael Penix Jr., and Oregon's Bo Nix who could get drafted in the first round. Returning to college for another year to set himself up as a top prospect at his position in 2025 does make sense.

If Ewers does officially announce that he's coming back to Austin for another season, that does put the team in an awkward position with their quarterback's room. Maalik Murphy is the primary backup and a four-star recruit in the 2022 class. Then, there's Arch Manning, the five-star recruit who comes from a lineage of star quarterbacks. Manning is the QB3 on the roster this season. If Ewers returns, Manning would be the primary backup at most, barring an injury.

NFL Draft prospects have until Jan. 15, 2024 to declare. But it sounds like Ewers will make his decision early based on Thamel's reporting.