Georgia-Texas showdown could be pivotal for Quinn Ewers' NFL Draft stock

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers may need a stellar performance in Saturday's home showdown against Georgia to prevent his draft stock from sinking.

In a Friday column, The 33rd Team's Kyle Crabbs indicated Ewers — a former five-star recruit — is losing momentum before the 2025 NFL Draft.

"But in looking under the hood of Ewers' profile and closely examining him with the same microscope teams will, I'm not sure that everything is what it seems," Crabbs wrote. "And Ewers is now running out of time for 2025 to change the narrative."

On his latest big board, ESPN's Jordan Reid rated the junior as his No. 5 QB, projecting that he's a late Day 1 or early Day 2 pick.

One concern scouts likely have about Ewers (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) is his durability. He missed five games with shoulder issues in his first two seasons at Texas. This season, he suffered an oblique injury and missed two more.

When he returned in a 34-3 Week 7 win over Oklahoma (4-2), Ewers looked rusty, completing 20-of-29 passes for 199 yards and a season-low one touchdown. He also threw an interception on the game's opening drive.

Asked Monday if the injury was still affecting him, Ewers said he didn't feel it was "throwing [him] off," per Chip Brown of 247 Sports.

NFL teams may want to see him stretch the field more, too. Pro Football Focus notes that 32.7 percent of his pass attempts (107) have come from behind the line of scrimmage, second in the FBS (min. 42 dropbacks).

Ewers, however, has delivered in several big games throughout his career. Last season, he finished 24-of-38 passing for 349 yards and three TDs in a 34-24 road win over Alabama.

This season, he completed 24-of-36 passes for 246 yards and three TDs in a 31-12 road win over defending national champion Michigan (4-2). Following the victory, NFL Media's Bucky Brooks said Ewers "has that No. 1 pick look and feel to me" on the "Move The Sticks" podcast.

No. 5 Georgia (5-1) could be one of Ewers' biggest tests. The Bulldogs rank sixth in the Southeastern Conference in passing yards allowed (192.3) and have a potential first-rounder in safety Malaki Starks.

If Ewers shreds Georgia and leads No. 1 Texas (6-0) to a win, he could quell critics and impress talent evaluators. Teams typically covet prospects who step up when it matters most, especially if they play the most important position.