Quinn Ewers went from a top draft prospect to a projected day-two pick after a Senior Bowl no-show due to injury. Just last year he was projected to be picked in the late first round. But now projections have slid Ewers down to the third. So what happened? Was it just the injury, or is there more to his recent fall?
Advertisement
Enter Greg Cosell, an analyst and senior producer for the well-regarded NFL Films. If there’s a person who could spot a future star on film, it’s him. That’s why it was notable when Cosell mentioned that he doesn’t think Ewers will pan out in the NFL. “I’ve overdone Quinn Ewers,” Cosell said in regards to how much he’s watched him on film.
“My head is exploding. I’ve watched this guy [for] probably 25 games, and being honest, I struggle with him. I just don’t see him as a true starting NFL quarterback. He’s always had bad lower body mechanics, really bad. Throws way too many balls off-balance, which impacts his ball placement.”
Many often question the mechanics of Ewers’ game. But he seemed to make it work, tossing for 31 TDs and over 3100 yards this past year. Still, analysts question if those mechanics will be exposed at a higher level. Bad lower body technique also leads to poor pocket presence and maneuverability, which leads to sacks. It’s a skill that Ewers is going to have to make indelibly clear to clubs at the Combine that he’s working on improving.
However, they aren’t the only thing Cosell is concerned about. He also mentioned Ewers’ poor arm strength, which Cosell says is a byproduct of his poor mechanics. “His arm strength, people say, ‘Boy, this guy’s got a gun.’ Well, he doesn’t have a gun on tape.”
He added: “Maybe he’s got a gun in the backyard in shorts but because his mechanics are so poor he doesn’t play like that. But he’s played a lot of football. He sees it pretty well. But I don’t see it with him, I just don’t. And maybe I’ll be wrong. Wouldn’t be the first time.”
Ewers has been criticized by other analysts for his arm strength as well. They say he uses touch passes too often and needs to know when to throw it on a line in a tight window. That’s something he will need to shore up if he wants to make it in the NFL.
Sarkisian on Ewers
But Ewers also has defenders in his corner. His coach at the University of Texas, Steve Sarkisian, recently joined the Up & Adams Show to talk about his skill set. He took a different perspective on Ewers’ career up to this point. “I think what this guy has shown is this level of perseverance,” Sarkisian told Adams.
“That’s a hard thing to gauge in the NFL because some of these guys have it so easy throughout their time whether it’s in high school or in college. This guy’s had to persevere. He’s been through a lot, he’s been through some injuries, and every time he shows up, and he’s always played his best when his best was needed.”
While it’s nice to hear that Ewers has done well at persevering through injuries, he’s going to need to be healthy more often if he wants a chance in the NFL. He’s starting to develop somewhat of an “injury-prone” label that no athlete wants to have.
In 2020, Ewers missed six games with a core injury in his final year at high school. Then in college, the core injuries persisted. He strained his oblique last year. Ewers also injured his AC joint in his throwing shoulder in 2022. Then late in the season, he suffered a high ankle sprain. That said, injuries can be unpredictable at times, so it’s hard to hold this all against him.
It’s tough to find a fit for Ewers in the NFL. He has a high ceiling, but the floor is also dangerously low. He’ll most likely go to a team desperate for a young QB who wants to take a lottery ticket on him in the third round. Probably a team like the Jets, Browns, Giants, or even Rams, depending on what they do with Matthew Stafford. There’s still so much that needs to be done via free agency. It’s hard to predict where some of these QB prospects will land.
