Texas football quarterback Quinn Ewers is in an interesting spot this season, as he could be one of, if not the top quarterback selected in the 2025 NFL Draft with a strong season. Ewers will have to improve in some areas to achieve that, but Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network did an early evaluation on him and compared him to former No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield.

“He reminds me of: I couldn't come up with a perfect comp for Ewers after studying the three games,” Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network said. “The first name that popped into my head was a throwback to my younger days as a scout: Kevin Kolb. Something about Ewers' delivery and play style evoked that old-school name. However, the more game tape I watched, the more I thought of Baker Mayfield. Both guys have a quick twitch in everything they do — seeing the field, setting up in the pocket and delivering the ball. There's a moxie and playmaking skill set to build around with both guys. Mayfield has really blossomed in Tampa Bay after bouncing around the league for the past few years. I don't think Ewers is quite as polished as Mayfield was at the same point in his college career, but I do see similar upside and potential.”

As mentioned by Jeremiah, Baker Mayfield has found a home with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL. He was the No. 1 pick in 2017 by the Cleveland Browns. He had some good seasons and some bad before being traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2022, where he was unable to finish the season. He spent the rest of 2022 with the Los Angeles Rams, before signing with the Buccaneers for 2023 and leading them to the playoffs.

Quinn Ewers looking to improve in 2024 to maximize draft status

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Ewers was a top recruit coming out of high school and had a ton of hype as he arrived at the Texas football program. There have been some aspects of his game that have disappointed, but overall he is a good college quarterback. However, those aspects that have been disappointing so far need to improve for him to be viewed as a high draft pick and potential successful NFL quarterback.

The main aspect of Ewers' game that gets critiqued is his deep ball, which was inaccurate last season. He connected on some in the Alabama game last season, but throughout the season missed some big throws. Fans and teams will undoubtedly want to see that improve this upcoming season. If he struggles to some degree, there will be calls to start Arch Manning, but it would be a surprise if Steve Sarkisian made that move this upcoming season. The plan seems to be for Manning to take over in 2025.

Ewers will have a chance to showcase his ability against top competition this season, as the Texas football program will have an early matchup with Michigan on the road. It is also the first season for Texas in the SEC. Some big games against high-quality opponents could go a long way for Ewers in 2024 when it comes to Texas' success, and maximizing his NFL Draft stock.