December 3, 2024

Texas Football: UT is a contender because Quinn Ewers is expected to return in 2024.

Quinn Ewers, a redshirt sophomore quarterback, may have some good news for Texas football going into the upcoming offseason, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel on November 14. On the morning of November 14, Thamel revealed that Ewers had “been having early conversations about a potential return to Texas” in 2024.

 

Additionally, according to Thamel, Ewers still has a “long way to go” before deciding whether to declare for the 2024 NFL Draught. He said explicitly that Ewers will have to wait “weeks” to decide which pick to make in the 2024 NFL Draught.

 

It was initially anticipated that Ewers, who attended Texas for two years, would declare for the 2024 NFL Draught. When Ewers left for the NFL the following year, the intention was for rookie quarterback Arch Manning to take over as the starting quarterback.

 

However, it appears that strategy is shifting as Ewers may decide to spend another year honing his craft in Texas before submitting his name for the NFL Draught.

 

Bobby Burton of Inside Texas reported on November 14 (paid content) that Ewers is “expected” to play his junior season in Texas. According to Burton, Ewers is “heavily” leaning towards returning for his junior season and there is a “90 percent chance” that he will return to Texas the following year.

 

Since it was assumed for at least the past 12 months that Ewers would play for the Forty Acres for two years before leaving for the NFL once he became eligible in 2024, this is a fairly significant change in Ewers’ plans at Texas. What caused Ewers’s perspective on playing a third season in Texas to change? And why would Texas benefit from that action?in 2024, during its debut year in the SEC?

 

Quinn Ewers’ anticipated return to Texas football in 2024 would increase the Longhorns’ chances of contending for the SEC championship.

In 2024, Ewers would mainly return to Texas to continue honing his starting quarterback skills. Because of his enormous frame (6-foot-3 and 210 pounds) and amazing arm talent at the quarterback position, NFL scouts still believe Ewers has a chance to be selected in the top five during the draught. A third season in head coach Steve Sarkisian’s system would represent more improvement for Ewers in terms of his footwork, timing, mechanics, and pocket presence.

 

Even though Ewers is one of the Power Five quarterbacks who has improved the most over the previous season, especially when compared to the other quarterbacks in this draught class, he still has little film available to NFL scouts.

 

This is another possible reason for Ewers’ decision to play another season in Texas; there are a lot of quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draught class. With Caleb Williams of USC and Drake Maye of UNC projected to be in the top five picks, this is the deepest quarterback class in the draught, at least in recent memory.

 

With the lack of a clear top group at quarterback early in that class, it makes sense for the Ewers to enter the draught in 2025. Regarding the group of quarterbacks who are currently regarded as the best available for the position in 2025, there is uncertainty. Cade Klubnik of Clemson hasn’t lived up to the expectations in his debut season as an OC starter.Garrett Riley in the autumn.

 

Drew Allar of Penn State hasn’t yet proven himself on the big stage against elite opponents. Furthermore, Connor Wiegman of Texas A&M has only started a small number of games in his collegiate career due to an injury that ended his season early this fall.

 

Of the best group of NFL prospects in the 2025 class at quarterback, Ewers is the most experienced and proven starter. In a hypothetical junior season at Texas, Ewers could easily be the top quarterback on draught boards in the 2025 class if he continues to put up strong numbers and advances as a starting quarterback.

 

The injury history of Ewers could worry NFL scouts.

Since his early high school years at Southlake Carroll in the DFW Metroplex, Ewers has not experienced a season as a starting quarterback while fully healthy. In his junior year at Southlake Carroll, he sustained a rib injury that kept him out of some games in 2020. However, he overcame the injury to help his junior team win the state championship.

 

Ewers didn’t play much as a young true freshman in 2021 because he reclassified and signed with Ohio State.

Following the move to T

However, in just his second game as the starting quarterback in Week 2 against Alabama during the 2022 offseason, Ewers sustained an injury. Sadly, he was sidelined following an incredible start to the home game against No. 2 Alabama the previous season.

Ewers’ injury against Alabama last season caused him to miss a few games. He also missed two starts this season due to a shoulder injury he sustained during the team’s road victory over the Houston Cougars in Week 8.

Many questions about Ewers’ injury history would be resolved if he were to return to Texas and play quarterback for an all-conference team in 2024 while fully healthy.

 

With Ewers back in the fold, Texas would have one of the most explosive offences going into the SEC in 2024.

Next offseason, a lot of roster turnover is anticipated in Texas, particularly at the skill positions on offence. Three or four of the Longhorns’ best wide receivers—junior Xavier Worthy, junior Adonai Mitchell, and redshirt senior Jordan Whittington—may be selected in the NFL Draught. Ja’Tavion Sanders, a junior tight end for the All-Big 12, is also anticipated to declare for the NFL Draught in 2024.

 

The Longhorns appeared to need to replace the majority of their core offensive players at the skill positions prior to the unexpected announcement this week that Ewers and redshirt sophomore running back Jonathan Brooks might return for a second season at Texas. After suffering an unfortunate ACL tear that ended his season during the victory over TCU last weekend, Brooks might return for a second season at Texas.

 

Texas suddenly has one of the scariest offences in the SEC if Ewers and Brooks return for the Longhorns the following season. The majority of Texas’ offensive line starters are back, and the receiving corps still has a lot of talent with players like DeAndre Moore Jr. and rookie Johntay Cook II who are eager to contribute.

Texas mightIsaiah Neyor, a redshirt junior wideout who saw limited playing time this fall, could return in 2024 if he doesn’t use the transfer portal.

 

In 2024, Texas might be a postseason and SEC contender.

With a 9-1 (6-1 Big 12) record, Ewers and the Longhorns are vying for a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game and the College Football Playoff in mid-November. Texas will play in the Big 12 title game in Arlington on December 2 if it wins its next two games against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at home on November 24 and the Iowa State Cyclones on the road on November 18.

 

The Longhorns would be in the running for a postseason Playoff spot if they won the fictitious Big 12 championship game.

If Sark and this staff have another productive offseason through the transfer portal and Ewers and Brooks return to lead the backfield in 2024, Texas might still be a contender for the playoffs. Returning that personnel would also put the Longhorns one year ahead of schedule in terms of being a legitimate contender for an SEC championship.

Apart from the fact that it would be advantageous for Ewers to play Texas again in 2024, Arch might benefit from an additional year of growth. In 2025, he would be in a favourable position because of the calibre of returning talent at wide receiver and running back that Texas has brought in over the past few cycles.

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