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Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers entered last season viewed as a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Some still believed he would be a Day 2 pick after a disappointing season, but the former No. 1 overall recruit fell to the Miami Dolphins with the 231st overall pick in Round 7.
Todd Archer of ESPN provided some insight into Ewers’ draft process and what led to his slide to the final round. It included insight from Agent Ron Slavin, who shared that he reached out to ‘half the league’ for an explanation on how the former Texas star slid so far down in the NFL Draft.
““They thought he was a third- or fourth-round pick, but too big of a name to be a clipboard holder.”
NFL agent Ron Slavin on the explanation he received on why Quinn Ewers fell in the 2025 NFL Draft
Related: How Quinn Ewers, Shedeur Sanders cost themselves millions
Slavin blasted the excuse as ‘chickens—‘, viewing it as a ridiculous justification for the Longhorns’ quarterback being the 231st overall player off the board. However, there seems to be some legitimacy to it.
NFL teams have made it clear that they prefer a backup quarterback who can not create any sort of distraction or draw unwanted attention to the club. While Ewers didn’t come with the same character concerns as Shedeur Sanders, he was a high-profile player who fans would recognize as the backup quarterback.
Related: Early buzz on if Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning will declare in 2026
While general managers work to assemble the best 53-man roster possible, other factors have to be considered with a backup quarterback. That includes reliability as a fill-in starter, the ability to help the starting quarterback prepare and not bringing unwanted attention from fans or the media to the position.
When a starter is struggling, fans will often resort to calling for the backup quarterback to come in as the replacement. It’s even more common when it’s a well-known backup, which Ewers is thanks to his popularity and history in college.
However, it’s also worth noting that Archer reporter teams had concerns regarding Ewers’ lack of arm strength, limited mobility and his injury history. In short, teams didn’t seem to believe he even had the necessary physical talent or upside to warrant the extra attention that would come from having him as a backup.
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