It is amazing what can happen over the course of one year. Former Texas Longhorns starting quarterback Quinn Ewers was at one time every bit the blue-chip NFL Draft prospect, just like he was as a five-star recruit coming out of high school. However, injuries, poor decision-making and a lack of really any kind of mobility have knocked him down from a certain first-round pick to probably a late pick on day two.
The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft came and went in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Thursday night with only two quarterbacks going inside the top 32. Cam Ward went No. 1 overall out of Miami to the Tennessee Titans. A few hours later, former Ole Miss starter Jaxson Dart came off the board at No. 25, with the New York Giants trading up to get him in a deal with the Houston Texans. That is all we got at the most important position in the sport.
So as we prepare for Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday night, let's take a look at the handful of teams who could make sense to draft Ewers. He has the arm talent to become an NFL starter, but the more he put on tape at Texas, the less and less NFL talent evaluators raved about his skill set. Ewers is QB5 on my big board with Shedeur Sanders as my QB2 and Jalen Milroe as my QB4 still left to be drafted.
Entering day two of the 2025 NFL Draft, I think one of these six teams could end up selecting Ewers.
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns could go in a lot of different directions at quarterback. I have them as my favorite to potentially take Jalen Milroe out of Alabama, but they could also stop Sanders' fall. I would also not rule out the idea of Cleveland passing on a quarterback all together in the 2025 NFL Draft to potentially trade for Kirk Cousins in a deal with my Atlanta Falcons. A lot could happen.
At this time, I would only have the Browns as a fringe contender to draft Ewers, simply because I think they might be more likely to draft one of the other names I mentioned above. Ewers has the right arm to throw the football downfield in a harsh northern climate. My biggest concern is his inherently brittle nature when it comes to playing in the NFL's black and blue division. I think Cleveland will pass on him.
However, if the Browns have not taken a quarterback by the third round and he is there, I would get it.
Dallas Cowboys
This could be a lot of fun; Ewers may be staying in-state when it comes to his first real job. That is because the Dallas Cowboys could potentially look to add a quality, up-and-coming backup to alleviate losing Cooper Rush to the Baltimore Ravens. In a way, I think this potential draft pick could put some extra pressure on incumbent starter Dak Prescott to finally earn his paycheck for once.
With the Cowboys disgustingly reaching on Jalen Milroe's former Alabama Crimson Tide teammate Tyler Booker at No. 12 on Thursday night, would anything the Cowboys do the rest of the way shock you? The idea of Ewers playing for the Cowboys does intrigue me, but it just feeds into more of the same of what has caused this team to become so lackluster of late. They are all about the storylines.
Las Vegas Raiders
Of the handful of places where Ewers could go, I kind of dig him landing with the Las Vegas Raiders. He would back up Geno Smith for the next year or so, but he does somewhat fit the Raiders' rebel brand. We are looking at a guy with the swagger of Ken Stabler, the competitiveness of Rich Gannon and the pirate ship cannon of a right arm we heard of Daryle Lamonica having. This could work out!
The only thing that prevents me from thinking the Raiders will end up being the team that drafts Ewers is do they really have the luxury right now to use a third-round pick on a likely backup quarterback? Las Vegas did not hire Pete Carroll to be their next head coach at 74 years old to enter a rebuild. That vision may or may not work out for the Raiders, but the timing of landing Ewers is not ideal.
The idea of Ewers going to the Raiders intrigues me, but I like one landing spot a bit more for him.
New Orleans Saints
Who knows what the New Orleans Saints want to do at quarterback this offseason? If Derek Carr is as banged up as we are being led to believe, can the Saints really move forward with Spencer Rattler as their starting quarterback for the better part of the 2025 campaign? That's why I think the Saints end up stopping Sanders' fall to get him in the second round. If not, maybe Ewers in the third round?
The reason why I like Ewers to the Saints to some degree is in the same vein of why Sanders may not be the best fit for them. If they draft Sanders, then that probably removes the Saints from the equation of drafting a quarterback in the first round next year. New offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier's son Garrett could be the No. 1 overall pick out of LSU. Drafting Ewers is not as punitive.
Then again, the Saints may only be drafting him as a low-quality bridge to possibly something better.
Pittsburgh Steelers
I am going to throw the Pittsburgh Steelers into the equation, even though I do not think he is the right fit for what they want to do going forward. As is the case with the Cleveland Browns, Ewers has the arm talent to make it work playing in the AFC North, but has the bones of Sam Bradford. I am afraid he may get broken in half playing in the NFL's black and blue division. I could be wrong in this.
All that aside, Ewers has been tied to the Steelers all offseason long for a reason. He is the quarterback responsible for bringing Texas back. People tend to forget that. So for that reason, I could get behind the idea of him going to Pittsburgh. Texas endured a lot of nonsense before he helped get the Longhorns in line. Then again, most of that falls on Steve Sarkisian's shoulders.
Ewers to the Steelers feels like they would be getting Mason Rudolph 2.0 in Pittsburgh, to me.
Seattle Seahawks
We have finally arrived at my favorite potential landing spot for Ewers. The Seattle Seahawks just pivoted off Geno Smith in favor of seeing if Sam Darnold has it in him to be a franchise quarterback. Ewers is of a similar prototype: The arm talent is there, but I am not so sure the Seahawks offense is going to be anywhere near as good as it was a year ago. That is why I like him to go there.
For my money, there is not a ton separating what Darnold is now and what Ewers could be if developed properly. The best part about him going to the Seahawks is he will be out of the spotlight just a bit. Everyone and their brother has been talking about Ewers non-stop throughout his high school career and college career at both Texas and Ohio State. It is getting too quiet for him of late.
Ewers' best chance of becoming an NFL star is to overtake Darnold on the Seahawks' depth chart.