‘I do know I’m able for the NFL’: Inside Quinn Ewers’ draft procedure and post-slide motivation

Quinn Ewers was once in ache.

He may no longer consume very a lot, if in any respect. He may rarely smile. And little or no of it needed to do with the place he went within the NFL draft: Round 7 — No. 231 of 257 choices — to the Miami Dolphins.

The week ahead of the draft, Ewers, the previous Texas quarterback, had 4 knowledge enamel extracted. One left an uncovered nerve that had him hurting.

When the draft started, Ewers figured he would no longer be a number of the first 32 choices, however Round 2 was once an opportunity. His agent, Ron Slavin, felt virtually confident Ewers could be picked ahead of the remaining around.

Whether it was once as a result of considerations about arm energy, mobility or earlier accidents, 12 quarterbacks have been decided on ahead of Ewers, who led the SEC with 31 landing passes in 2024 (regardless of lacking two video games) and led the Longhorns to the College Football Playoff semifinals two immediately years.

Shedeur Sanders‘ slide from conceivable first-rounder to the 144th decide within the 5th overshadowed Ewers’ disappointing fall.

“I just didn’t know what was going on,” Ewers, 22, informed ESPN two days after the draft, all the way through a destroy from his exercises at MARR STRENGTH in Southlake, Texas. “But, I mean, it was nice [to get drafted], because at one point I’m like, ‘I’m not even going to get drafted. I’m going to go undrafted.’

“It was once very sudden, and I feel that the hardest phase about it’s only the volume of sudden occurrences there have been. But I’m happy that I finished up the place I finished up. To pass as past due as I did, I’m happy it is a excellent spot.”

ESPN followed Ewers throughout his draft process, from pre-combine work at Southlake Carroll high school to the NFL draft combine in Indianapolis to Texas’ pro day in Austin to predraft visits with the Las Vegas Raiders and Indianapolis Colts and, finally, to draft weekend in Lake Bridgeport, Texas.

This is his journey from high predraft expectations through his long wait to be selected in the seventh round — and the opportunity that lies ahead for him with the Dolphins.

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Late January: Getting healthy

Tucked into a string of office buildings just off State Highway 114 in Southlake, Texas, is MARR STRENGTH. On the walls are jerseys worn by baseball and football players trained by Chad Marr over the years. One is a Ewers No. 3 Texas jersey.

Marr has worked with Ewers since the quarterback was at Ohio State in 2021 before he transferred to Texas, but this was the first time they spent this much time training together — five days a week, two hours a day.

When Ewers arrived at MARR, he weighed only 200 pounds. He was worn down from a long season and unable to train properly because of two oblique tears and a high ankle sprain suffered during the season.

“Communication is a large factor when guys pop out [of college],” Marr said. “You wish to give them a way of route.

“It’s a long year for them, and it’s like they’re in a situation where their whole life is managed. They need to decompress a little bit.”

The optimization program designed via Marr was once so as to add weight to Ewers’ body however no longer make him cumbersome. Different days referred to as for particular spaces of labor. One day focused his again muscular tissues. The subsequent was once an upper-body exercise. Another day could be Marr’s proprietary BoxMatrix exercise that offers with hip and backbone mobility.

The plan was once to expand practical energy with workouts carried out on other platforms and angles the usage of counterbalances to unencumber other portions of the physique.

“I have him explain these things to me in more of English than whatever he talks,” Ewers laughed. “No, it’s cool to get to hear about how our body is truly put together.”

At the mix, Ewers weighed in at 214 kilos. Marr stated Ewers can simply raise 225 kilos on his 6-foot-2 body.

“Just in four weeks, he put on, I want to say, 14, 15 pounds, and 11 pounds of that was muscle,” Marr stated ahead of the mix. “He did really well, but what that shows you is that it’s there. The capacity is there. He just needed the room to do it.”

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Mid-February: On-field mix prep

The week ahead of Ewers left for the mix in Indianapolis, he spent a couple of days in a well-recognized environment: Southlake Carroll’s indoor facility.

He starred there — going to the Class 6A Division 1 state championship sport his junior yr — ahead of leaving for Ohio State.

On these days in February, beneath the watchful eye of Throw It Deep quarterbacks trainer Jeff Christensen, he threw passes for an hour to former Dallas Cowboys vast receiver Terrance Williams, New York Giants working again Dante Miller, Carolina Panthers cornerback Akayleb Evans and Southlake Carroll junior receiver Brock Boyd, a countrywide recruit within the Class of 2026.

“You don’t know if some of these teams are just pump-faking you to play chess with other teams, or if they really like you.”

— Quinn Ewers

“This is where it all started,” Ewers stated.

Since January, when the Longhorns misplaced to his former Buckeyes staff within the CFP semis, Ewers had spent extra time operating on his physique than throwing passes, however he settled in briefly.

During two throwing classes the week ahead of the mix, he ripped passes close to and a ways, appearing no results from the indirect accidents. With a wholesome ankle, he was once on his feet extra. Christensen appreciated what he noticed.

“It’s just natural to him,” Christensen stated.

Ewers left for Indianapolis feeling assured.

“What I did at Texas is very important. I have a lot of experience on the football field, which is something you can’t really coach,” Ewers stated. “But now, going through the interview process and whatnot, it’s like any job interview. You’re going in trying to prove why they should hire you.”

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Late February/early March: Combine week

After dinner on the famed St. Elmo Steak House in Indianapolis, Ewers walked over to the Omni Hotel. On the second one ground, he was once straight away fitted with a microphone for a sit-down interview to release a brand new set of Panini America buying and selling playing cards. From there was once a prevent within the Under Armour suite, the place he was once given some cleats, tennis footwear, slides and a wide variety of drugs.

But it was once the presentation via Cognilize, a German fact tool corporate, that the majority enthused Ewers. Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels credited the generation for his construction at LSU. Ewers donned a digital fact masks and was once transported onto a soccer discipline. For the following 15 to 20 mins, Ewers was once transfixed.

He simulated dropbacks and threw passes — all nearly — in a program designed to offer gamers extra reps than a convention would permit and with out the bodily toll it takes at the physique.

“I just got sacked, didn’t I?” Ewers stated after the protection was once speeded up.

Earlier within the day, Ewers went via clinical examinations that lasted six hours.

The day ahead of, Ewers had interviews with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, Raiders and Colts. He had casual conferences with different groups that night time, too.

“Each year, he’s made a big jump in his development, and that’s what’s been pretty cool,” stated a scout from a staff that interviewed him on the mix. “He was immature. Didn’t really know the offense his freshman year [at Ohio State]. I don’t think he was real endearing a couple years ago.

“But he misplaced weight, were given in form, were given on a vitamin, minimize his hair, confirmed he generally is a chief. There’s been in reality excellent enlargement. And he is aware of it, and he can articulate all that.”

If anyone questions Ewers’ leadership, they can ask his Texas teammates what they think.

“His grit and backbone. He’s a pacesetter off and on the sphere for us,” stated vast receiver Matthew Golden, who was once decided on No. 23 in Round 1 via the Green Bay Packers. “Whenever Quinn talks, we concentrate.”

Ewers believes he aced the combine tests and credits Slavin, whom he has known since he was in high school.

“With preparation comes self belief, proper?” Ewers said. “I do not wish to say I used to be overprepared, however I used to be ready so much. I feel I did a in reality excellent process with the entire procedure and sit up for seeing the way it finally ends up affecting the entirety that occurs one day.”

Quinn Ewers had 18 of 23 throws on target at the combine

His draft stock is rising 📈

Here’s the full performance pic.twitter.com/OK6R9hVeoB

— Nash (@NashTalksTexas) March 1, 2025

On Feb. 28, he met the media, first a group session and then individual interviews with SiriusXM and other broadcast partners.

The next day, he put his arm on display.

“Man, I’ve been spinning it, so I be ok with hanging on a display right here,” Ewers said.

Lucas Oil Stadium was relatively quiet March 1 as fans watched players run 40-yard dashes. Ewers was not there to work out. He only threw.

“Quinn stated ahead of he walked in right here, ‘This is what I do,'” Slavin said. “You watch some guys throw, and it is all effort and exerting all in their energy to throw the ball. With Quinn, it is a click on of the wrist and the ball is going 40 yards.”

Ewers displayed accuracy, touch and power on his 22 throws of all different types.

“He’s were given an actual fast stroke, actual easy. The ball comes out quick,” one NFC personnel director said. “I feel the sport tape says he is in reality excellent with the intermediate and quick stuff, and that roughly confirmed with the speed and accuracy. He can layer the ball. Doesn’t have the most important arm, however it is greater than excellent sufficient needless to say.”

Ewers left Indianapolis pleased.

“I feel I did a excellent process of revealing groups who I’m as an individual and what I will be able to be as a participant,” he said. “Now it is simply looking to get those guys to begin to consider in me.”

But he was not ready to think about which team would select him or liked him best.

“The uncertainty at this time is unreal,” Ewers said, “as a result of you do not know if a few of these groups are simply pump-faking you to play chess with different groups, or in the event that they in reality such as you.”

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March 25: Pro day

On March 24, the day before Texas’ pro day, Ewers had a late afternoon meeting in Austin, Texas, with the Steelers, including coach Mike Tomlin. That night, he had dinner at Perry’s Steakhouse in downtown Austin with the Saints’ contingent.

He sat between the Saints’ new coach Kellen Moore and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier for a couple of hours, enjoying a steak and talking football.

Last summer, he was roommates with Nussmeier’s son, Garrett, the LSU quarterback, at the Manning Passing Academy.

“It’s a small global,” Ewers said. “It was once excellent to make the ones connections. It was once a laugh to get to grasp them, ask them questions, and them asking me questions.”

It was a different experience than the combine and 18-minute formal interviews in Indianapolis.

“It’s certainly extra laid-back,” he said after the combine. “Maybe that is as a result of the best way I take a look at it now. The power goes to be other on the mix as a result of it is the first time going via it. … I simply felt like I used to be in a position to be me round all the ones guys and display who I’m.”

Late in the morning on March 25, Ewers was back inside Texas’ indoor practice facility. He cheered on teammates as they bench-pressed 225 pounds and did vertical jumps.

His time to polish happened two hours after the consultation that includes 21 Longhorns started.

Every staff was once represented, and attendees integrated head coaches Moore, Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots, Aaron Glenn of the Jets and Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears. At least six extra common managers have been readily available.

“For a guy like him,” stated one AFC body of workers leader, “it’s going to matter where he goes. It’s like that for every quarterback, really. But he throws a catchable ball. He’s accurate. There’s a lot to like.”

Some considerations about his NFL upside remained.

“The durability and size, he’s been banged up a little bit, so that’ll come up,” one NFC scout stated. “Yeah, he can make all the throws, but there’s going to be questions about his deep ball. You probably want to see a little more there.”

Ewers and his talent gamers met ahead of the professional day to make a plan all the way through their first consultation in combination since Texas’ loss to Ohio State on the Cotton Bowl.

“You don’t go into the last game we’re playing thinking it’s the last time we’re going to be together,” Ewers stated. “It all ended abruptly for us, so to get together and see all the hard work since then come to fruition was really cool.”

Over the following 20 mins, Ewers ran the display, no longer a quarterback trainer or an assistant. Everybody knew the script. He was once caution the ones at the sidelines to remember when he was once about to throw an out course. He had the coaches again up when he was once rolling left or proper so he had extra space.

“It was going to be my deal from the jump,” Ewers stated. “I wanted to run it, show that I’m the leader and the receivers look to me for that leadership. Just wanted to show the presence that I bring and the command to whatever team I’m going to. At the end of the day, it was my day, the receivers’ day. It’s what we wanted.”

Ewers finished 30 of his first 33 passes. The 3 incompletions got here on dropped passes. Every cross was once at the cash, from the slants to the shallow crosses to the deep overs.

“Good ball, three!” a former teammate yelled from the bleachers after a stutter-go deep downfield to Golden.

Late within the consultation, a few the deep balls wobbled an excessive amount of for Ewers’ liking, however the consultation was once virtually on fast-forward.

He ended up 50-of-59 with 4 drops and 5 throws that have been off course.

“That was as good a throwing session as I’ve seen,” one NFC scout stated.

“He had more power on his intermediate throws than I thought he would,” stated an AFC body of workers leader. “The deep balls fluttered a little bit, but he can make all the throws.”

That night time, Ewers was once scheduled to fulfill with the Dolphins, however he were given a abdomen virus, which postponed a commute to Tampa to movie a section for Jon Gruden’s “QB Camp” on Barstool Sports.

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April: Predraft visits

On April 3, Ewers made the short pressure to The Star on the Cowboys’ global headquarters.

It was once “Dallas Day,” the Cowboys’ time period for his or her exercises of native gamers previous to the draft from space prime faculties and schools. Ewers didn’t determine, however he met with the personnel and coaches, and had a 90-minute assembly with proprietor and common supervisor Jerry Jones.

“That was cool, just sitting in there talking with him,” Ewers stated.

Ewers grew up a Cowboys fan, however the probabilities of him getting decided on via the staff took successful after the Cowboys made a business that day to obtain Joe Milton III from the Patriots.

“Being from Southlake, right down the road, getting to talk to all these guys on staff, the coaches, the head coach, Mr. Jones, it was really unbelievable,” Ewers stated. “It’s been my team growing up, so I don’t know if it’s really sunk in yet.”

The visits intended the draft procedure was once beginning to come to an finish.

Before Ewers went to Las Vegas to fulfill with the Raiders, he had a very powerful weekend readily available. He was once co-best guy with Texas tight finish Gunnar Helm on the marriage ceremony of his Longhorns left guard, Hayden Conner.

“I’ve got to think of a speech,” he stated.

After his talk over with with the Raiders, he flew to Indianapolis to fulfill with the Colts. Other groups checked in by the use of video chats.

“Just [told] him to be himself,” Slavin stated of his recommendation to Ewers for the ones conferences.

“I think my game fits the NFL better than it does in college, honestly. I’m ready for the next step.”

— Quinn Ewers

In between dinners and conferences, Ewers nonetheless discovered time to determine. Marr despatched him a chain of workouts to move via at an area fitness center and even his resort room.

The visits to Las Vegas and Indianapolis crystallized what was once about to occur in a couple of weeks on the draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He began to image the puts he noticed as a possible house for the following 4 years.

“Man, it’s hard, but we’re human beings,” Ewers stated. “They’re bringing you in on a top-30 visit or you’re meeting with people on Zoom, and you start to narrow it down.

“But nonetheless, on the finish of the day, I’ve were given no clue till I am getting the decision on draft day. I do not wish to get too fascinated with a spot.”

For Slavin, who represented five other draft prospects, the process with Ewers has been personal. He first met the quarterback when Ewers was a sophomore in high school and helped him navigate the path that led him to Ohio State and, ultimately, back to Texas.

When Slavin started, the relationship between agents and players largely didn’t begin until their junior year in college. He has grown close to the Ewers family, so the criticism Ewers received from those who felt he didn’t meet their expectations at Texas and the championing of 2023 No. 1 recruit Arch Manning, who will start in the fall, stung.

He knew teams would not give him their entire picture because they didn’t want him to share their thoughts with other teams.

“It’s private, however it is extra disturbing as a result of you do not want to let anyone down,” Slavin said. “Do I be apologetic about perhaps no longer having him sit down a pair weeks with the indirect or get him healthier? Sure. But Quinn did not wish to omit any video games. His target from the start was once to win a countrywide championship for Texas.

“So you go through this [draft] process and you say, ‘He’s shown toughness and resiliency,’ but how much do teams really take that into consideration? If you’re talking toughness and resilience, he’s the first pick in this draft, the next year and the following year for what he endured at Texas.”

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April 24-26: NFL draft

Lake Bridgeport is ready a two-hour pressure from Southlake. A circle of relatives buddy’s space and birthday party barn in Chico, Texas, would grow to be Ewers’ house for the 3 days of the NFL draft.

The setup turned into one thing of a legend on social media with taxidermy mounts of a wide variety of animals within the background. Ewers was once in a position to land a bison that Friday all the way through a hunt that took his thoughts clear of soccer.

On Day 2 of the draft (Rounds 2 and 3), 65 members of the family and pals, together with his folks, sister and female friend, have been readily available. Hutchins Barbecue catered the night time. The Texas Twinkies, massive jalapenos full of brisket and cream cheese and wrapped in bacon, have been successful.

In the primary around, quarterback Cam Ward went No. 1 to the Titans. Later, the Giants traded again into the primary around to take the second one QB, Jaxson Dart, with the 25th decide.

“The mindset [on Day 2] was Saints or Seahawks,” Slavin stated. “And we knew that if [Tyler Shough] went to the Browns at 33, Quinn’s in play at 40 with the Saints. And then if [Jalen] Milroe went to the Raiders, Quinn’s in play at 92 with [Seattle].”

Shough didn’t pass to the Browns. The Saints took him at No. 40 in Round 2. Milroe did not pass to the Raiders. He went to Seattle at No. 92.

So Ewers needed to wait. It turned into excruciating.

Dillon Gabriel to the Browns in Round 3. Sanders to the Browns in Round 5. In Round 6, 5 extra quarterbacks went: Kyle McCord (Eagles), Will Howard (Steelers), Riley Leonard (Colts), Graham Mertz (Texans) and Cam Miller (Raiders). Technically, a 6th was once picked, however the Raiders are transferring Montana State’s Tommy Mellott to receiver.

“The Raiders took two FCS guys above me, so …,” Ewers stated. “We’ll see what happens.”

Slavin referred to as the state of affairs a “nightmare.”

As the choices went via, one concept by no means entered Ewers’ thoughts: regretting no longer going again to school the place he may have made extra money with NIL via shifting to some other college. He stated on the mix he sought after his legacy to be as a Texas quarterback.

“I wanted to continue on my career path, and I know I’m ready for the NFL,” Ewers stated. “I think my game fits the NFL better than it does in college, honestly. I’m ready for the next step.”

Slavin stated, logistically, getting into the portal to seek out some other college was once “nearly impossible” as a result of the timing.

“You can ask those questions, but the reality of it is the way the portal schedule is set, it was not possible for Quinn because he didn’t want to be talked to about the portal,” Slavin stated. “When they beat Arizona State on Jan. 1, the next game was Jan 10.

“If he was once going to decide to Miami or Notre Dame, he is going to try this whilst his staff’s were given a playoff sport in per week? And his teammates are going to take a look at him like, ‘You’re going to some other college if we lose?’ You can not do this.”

Had the Longhorns lost to Arizona State, maybe entering the portal would have been an option, according to Slavin, but they won on Ewers’ signature moment — a fourth-and-13 touchdown pass to Golden in the first overtime and a touchdown pass in double overtime.

After the loss to Ohio State in the semifinal, the last thing Ewers wanted to discuss was a transfer.

“He sought after to win a countrywide championship,” Slavin said. “He sought after to go away a legacy at Texas. Now it is intended to be, ‘Do you wish to have to speak about going to some other college?’ To be capable of turn your thoughts like that … plus the colleges wanted a solution on Jan. 1. They had to know who their man was once going to be.”

Before the seventh round, Slavin was communicating with two teams.

“At that time, it is getting him to the most efficient position, so it was once Cowboys and Dolphins,” Slavin stated.

In Round 7, the San Francisco 49ers took Kurtis Rourke, who’s coming off a torn proper ACL, at No. 227.

That life-changing call📱 @QuinnEwers x @MiamiDolphins pic.twitter.com/7YlOkR6SEY

— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) April 26, 2025

Finally, Slavin got a text back from the Dolphins that they were going to select Ewers. The moment of seeing his name flash on the television screen that he dreamed about as a kid had arrived.

“Maybe no longer as excited, however it is the similar alternative that each and every man that was once drafted in entrance of me is getting,” Ewers said.

The day after the draft, Slavin said he reached out to “part the league” to find out what happened.

“They concept he was once a third- or fourth-round decide, however too giant of a reputation to be a clipboard holder,” Slavin said. “Which I feel is chickens—.”

Said one personnel chief, “There’s most effective such a lot of reps to move round for younger quarterbacks. You can justify it at different positions, but when you’ll be able to’t get a quarterback the volume of labor to expand him, then you might be virtually losing a decide.”

But Ewers now has the opportunity he always wanted.

When he grew up throwing passes in the backyard to his father, Curtis, dreaming of being an NFL quarterback, it was not tied to being the top pick in the draft.

His mother, Kristen, would ask him what he wanted to be when he grew up.

“And Quinn’s solution was once all the time, ‘I wish to play within the NFL,'” she remarked earlier in the draft process. “I might say, ‘OK, however what is your Plan B?’ He’d say there is no Plan B. So getting to peer him reside that out is a pleasure. Truly.”

Now, for the first time in his football life, Ewers is an underdog.

During his meeting with Jones, the Cowboys owner compared Ewers’ situation to Tom Brady’s at Michigan, when he had to deal with the hype surrounding wunderkind Drew Henson, with whom Brady had to split playing time as a senior. Brady was a sixth-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2000 and went on to win seven Super Bowls.

Nobody is making that promise for Ewers, who next week heads to Miami Gardens for the Dolphins’ rookie minicamp.

The pain from his wisdom teeth will subside.

The pain from the draft will linger.

“It’s certainly a large number of motivation that includes it, particularly simply being the remaining [quarterback] drafted,” Ewers said. “I nonetheless have the prime expectancies for myself, however simply from the outdoor having a look in, that is the primary time in my existence not to have that a lot expectation. There’s certainly motivation and gas. Numerous it.”