Introduction to Quinn Ewers’ Journey

The first high school prospect to cash in on NIL is getting ready to be paid as a professional.

Quinn Ewers from Southlake Carroll wanted to stay in high school to receive compensation, but UIL rules prevented him from doing so as a senior. So Ewers entered college early, enrolling at Ohio State to earn a cool $1 million in NIL. He departed after taking two snaps to return home.

College Career and Challenges

Ewers finished his college career at Texas, enduring injuries and a Manning looking over his shoulder.

Ewers said he’s got no regrets with the difficult decision he made to leave high school early, transfer from Ohio State and even leave Texas for the NFL.

“I think that you know, the school makes a lot of money off of what we do,” Ewers said at the NFL scouting combine. “So for us to be able to make a little bit of money off that too, I think it was really cool and obviously NIL was the reason I left my senior year [of high school] early. So there was a lot of that impact for sure.”

Health Issues and Performance

Last season, Ewers said he was healthy for maybe two or three games. He dealt with a partially torn oblique muscle and a sprained ankle. He finished the season named second-team All-SEC and tied for sixth in FBS with 31 touchdowns. Ewers also threw a touchdown in his final 27 games.

Health, he missed five games because of shoulder issues between the 2022 and 2023 seasons, slowed his development and some NFL scouts question if he can stay healthy for a full season.

Relationship with Arch Manning and Decision to Leave Texas

Then there was Arch Manning waiting to take over at Texas.

Ewers said Manning is a pal and “he’s gonna be a great player, obviously.”

Ewers could have stayed one more season at Texas to improve his draft stock and to delay Manning eventually taking over the starting job.

“I wanted to continue on my journey to the NFL, and I wanted to leave a legacy at Texas and I didn’t want to disrupt that at all,” he said.

Preparation for the NFL

Former Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy has worked with Ewers during the draft process, making sure he’ll be ready for workouts with teams.

So the player the Cowboys visited with Wednesday at The Star is moving on from NIL, Texas football and the mullet to the NFL.

“You know, the Texas legislature wasn’t gonna allow high school football players to be paid,” Ewers said. “I had a big opportunity in front of me to go make a good chunk of money. And I kind of went about it [like], I don’t know what’s certain in the future, but I know what’s certain right now and there’s a good chunk of money that could change a lot of things, and I decided to go ahead and take that step in time.”

Conclusion

Quinn Ewers’ journey is a unique one, filled with challenges and opportunities. From leaving high school early to pursue a college career, to dealing with injuries and a highly anticipated quarterback waiting in the wings, Ewers has shown determination and resilience. As he prepares to enter the NFL, his story serves as a reminder of the complexities and nuances of the NIL era and the importance of making informed decisions about one’s athletic career.

FAQs

Q: What is NIL and how does it affect high school athletes?

A: NIL stands for Name, Image, and Likeness, and it refers to the ability of college athletes to earn money from their name, image, and likeness. For high school athletes, NIL rules vary by state, but in general, they are not allowed to earn money from their athletic abilities while still in high school.

Q: Why did Quinn Ewers leave high school early?

A: Ewers left high school early to pursue a college career and earn money from NIL opportunities, which were not available to him as a high school athlete in Texas.

Q: What were some of the challenges Ewers faced during his college career?

A: Ewers dealt with injuries, including a partially torn oblique muscle and a sprained ankle, and faced competition from Arch Manning, a highly anticipated quarterback.

Q: What’s next for Quinn Ewers?

A: Ewers is preparing to enter the NFL, where he will have the opportunity to earn a professional salary and continue his athletic career.