Former Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers recently made his NFL debut for the Miami Dolphins. After being drafted in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Ewers took over for former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as the starter in Miami.
Despite having a year of eligibility remaining, the former Texas quarterback decided to enter the NFL draft after the Longhorns’ 2025 Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Ohio State.
Former Texas QB Quinn Ewers Dishes Out Transfer Portal Advice After NFL Decision
Ahead of his final NFL game of the season, against the New England Patriots, the former Texas quarterback offered some advice to college football quarterbacks. Multiple starting quarterbacks have recently decided to enter the transfer portal.
Quinn Ewers said he had multiple offers from college programs but opted for the NFL instead, because he didn’t want to damage any legacy or relationships he built at Texas.
He was a lifelong Longhorns fan, which helped him make his decision:
“My 10-year-old self wouldn’t have…
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) December 31, 2025
“Quinn Ewers said he had multiple offers from college programs but opted for the NFL instead, because he didn’t want to damage any legacy or relationships he built at Texas.” reported ESPN Miami Dolphins insider Marcel Louis-Jacques.
According to a report from Horns247, before entering the 2025 NFL Draft, Ewers turned down an $8 million NIL offer from another program. This would have been $2 million more than the $6 million fee he reportedly earned across his entire career in NIL earnings.
“My 10-year-old self wouldn’t have transferred away. I think that’s important for these younger kids to take away. Stop being focused on the material things and start building relationships that will last you a lifetime.” The Lifelong Longhorns’ fan shared.
Following the 2025 college football season, several starting quarterbacks opted to enter the transfer portal. This included the likes of Dylan Raiola, Rocco Becht, Drew Mestemaker, DJ Lagway, and Brendan Sorsby, who are all searching for new teams.
Ewers’ decision to enter the NFL draft also coincided with the same offseason that UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava decided to join the transfer portal. According to reports, the former Tennessee quarterback was seeking upwards of $4 million.
“On Dec. 28, hours before the winter transfer portal window closed, Tennessee sources say Iamaleava’s representatives, including his father, Nic, reached out to the Tennessee NIL collective, Spyre Sports Group, and were looking to increase Iamaleava’s pay for 2025 to around $4 million.” reported ESPN’s Chris Low.
MORE: Former Texas QB Quinn Ewers Dishes Out Transfer Portal Advice
He eventually landed at UCLA for a package that earned him less than he would have made with the Volunteers. Iamaleava suffered a downturn in production in 2025, with a QB impact ranking of 78.6. The Bruins’ quarterback threw for almost 700 fewer yards and six fewer touchdowns.
Following his decision to enter the transfer portal, Iamaleava has become a controversial figure in both Tennessee and the college football world. In comparison, Quinn Ewers’ decision to stay loyal to the Texas Longhorns earned him the respect of head coach Steve Sarkisian.
“I think Quinn Ewers was one of the first guys through all this talk about collective and all the things that were going on in the world of NIL… he never took money from our collective. All of what he did through NIL was his true Name, Image, and Likeness.” Sarkisian stated after the NFL Draft.
Currently, Ewers is an NFL starter following his decision to enter the league. Meanwhile, the Miami quarterback’s backup at Texas, Arch Manning, has emerged as a potential prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft after a tough start to the year.
