Well, Quinn Ewers is back at the University of Texas, and you really cannot ask for a higher-stakes situation. Ewers had an uneven 2022 campaign, and that is why after the end of it, he returned to Texas with the desire to be written into college football history. Last year, things did not per plan for Ewers and Texas. In addition to missing out on the conference title and the College Football Playoff, the Longhorns also failed in their Big 12 run.

Former Notre Dame QB and college football analyst Brady Quinn said it best while giving his thoughts on Ewers’ return: “for a QB like Quinn Ewers, this is why you come back to the University of Texas, to play big games like these”, and also a potential Heisman push for Ewers and to show a lot of people out there that he is a first-round QB prospect for the NFL Draft.

Ewers’ decision to stay in Texas shows that he is preparing for the next step. The NFL Draft 2025 is in the distant future, and for a quarterback such as Ewers, improving the strength of schedules to the SEC level may prove vital in a player’s ascension up the overall ranks. And now, entering the SEC for the first time comes a different beast: a more aggressive schedule and stronger competition.

“This is the beginning of what is going to be a much more challenging season for Texas this year,” Brady said. For Ewers this means showing that he is capable of checking into the team and checking out when it is time, continuing to produce against high-tier defensive leagues.

Quinn Ewers’ NFL aspirations and Texas’ SEC transition

Last year they had their chances in the Big 12, but they did not get past the last hump. They did not win a championship – and that was the final and frustrating thought for the program and Ewers. Now it is time for the SEC to make a statement in college football’s toughest conference. “They weren’t able to seal the deal last year to the Big 12, so it’s a change—they go to the SEC. That’s the next goal, and to try and go to the playoff this time and finish the job,” Brady said.

Of course, Ewers has his goals set high for this season in college football, and the national championship title is definitely one of them, but it is not the only goal that he has in mind. The 2025 NFL Draft class currently seems to be loaded with talent in the QB position, and Ewers has every chance and resources to stake a claim for being one of the first picks in the draft.