The Texas Longhorns are coming off a heartbreaking 28-14 loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinals, marking the second consecutive year they’ve fallen short in the postseason. Despite the disappointment, their resurgence under head coach Steve Sarkisian has been undeniable, and quarterback Quinn Ewers has been a central figure in that transformation over the last two seasons as the starter.
This week, Ewers declared for the NFL draft, despite reportedly being offered an $8 million NIL deal to return to college football in 2025, likely at a different school. However, Ewers declined the offer and is now projected as a third-round pick in NFL expert Luke Easterling’s latest mock draft, which was revealed on Thursday. Easterling predicts that Ewers will be selected by the New York Jets with the 96th overall pick, potentially becoming the future successor to four-time MVP and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers, who signed a three-year, $112.5 million deal with the Jets before the 2023 season, is set to enter the final year of his contract in 2025. With Rodgers’ future uncertain at 41 years old, and the Jets in the midst of a leadership transition with a new head coach and general manager, Ewers could be positioned as the quarterback of the future in New York.
After starting his career at Ohio State, Ewers transferred to Texas following his freshman season. Over the last three years with the Longhorns, he has accumulated 9,128 passing yards, 68 passing touchdowns, and just 24 interceptions, completing 64.9% of his passes. Ewers entered the 2024 college football season with first-round potential, but some inconsistency in his play throughout the year has caused a slight dip in his draft projections.