2025 NFL Draft: Does PFF have Texas QB Quinn Ewers in first round?

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but when it comes to prospective NFL draft picks, not even Mel Kiper Jr.’s glasses make the picture any less fuzzy.

Take the case of Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers. There may not be a player in college football whose draft projections swing so wildly over the big board.

Sporting News’ 2025 Big Board has Ewers as the No. 5 overall pick and the second quarterback taken behind Colorado Buffalo QB Shedeur Sanders, while Tankathon also has him in the first round, though down at No. 15.

But the newly released Pro Football Focus Way Too Early Big Board has Quinn Ewers barely eeking into the first round at No. 32, and they aren't the only publication doubting Ewers' credentials. Draftwire seems to be looking at an entirely different player altogether, scouting Ewers well outside of the first round and claiming that he wouldn’t have been taken before the fifth round in 2024. Ouch.

One might be forgiven for thinking, given the myriad statistics, millions and millions of dollars, hours of game footage, and army of sports prognosticators, knowing which college football players will be boom or bust in the NFL would be a relatively straightforward task and first round draft picks would be nothing short of sure bets for some of the biggest sports franchises in the world.

Sure… just ask JaMarcus Russell and Ryan Leaf.

But even if it seems like some teams are asking a Magic 8 Ball who they should take in the all-important first round, Quinn Ewers still has all of the 2024 college football season to make a real case for himself as a future NFLer.

With the Texas Longhorns moving into the SEC and an expanded college football playoff awaiting, Ewers may have his sights set on more than just hearing his name called in the first round… like winning a national championship and hoisting a Heisman Trophy.