Quinn Ewers could be the backup plan for Dallas in more ways than one as they prepare to host the University of Texas Quarterback.
As all fans know, the Cowboys have a $240 million quarterback in Dak Prescott, but his injury history has made it almost mandatory to draft a young quarterback.
A young gunslinger to learn behind Prescott could be the perfect situation as the Cowboys evaluate their star quarterback’s injury progression into the season.
The Cowboys are not known for having a backup plan, but maybe the front office is turning a new leaf.
With all this in mind, let’s look at Quinn Ewers and his strengths and weaknesses.
Quinn Ewers a Local Kid
Quinn Ewers played down the road from the Dallas Cowboys in high school for Carroll Senior High in Southlake, Texas.
While in high school, Ewers had over 6,400 passing yards, 73 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions. He also ran for 701 yards and 12 touchdowns on 115 carries. These stats earned him the consensus number-one high school player.
He also sported a pretty gnarly mullet in high school.
Ewers took his talents from Southlake, Texas, to Ohio State before returning to Texas following his freshman season up north to suit up for his favorite childhood college team, the Texas Longhorns.
As a Texas kid, it could be a dream come true for Quinn Ewers to lead the Dallas Cowboys one day.
Quinn Ewers’ College Days
In 2021, Quinn Ewers reclassified from the class of 2022 to the class of 2021 to get to Ohio State a year earlier.
His first year at Ohio State, he was slated in the depth chart as the fourth quarterback behind starter C.J. Stroud, backup Kyle McCord, and third stringer Jack Miller.
He did not play while at Ohio State and quickly made the decision to transfer after one year in Columbus.
He transferred to his beloved Texas Longhorns where he won the starting quarterback spot over Casey Thompson and Hudson Card.
In his first year at Texas, he played 10 games, missing two due to a shoulder injury, and put up 2,177 yards, 15 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
In his second year (2023) he played 12 games and in his third year (2024) he played 14 games.
He totaled 9,128 yards, 68 touchdowns, 24 interceptions, and completed 64.9% of his passes.
Quinn Ewers is leaving the University of Texas holding a few records and ranking in the top 3 in others:
- 1st in Texas single-season 300+ passing yard games (6)
- 1st in Big 12 title single-game passing yards (452)
- 1st in Big 12 title single-game passing touchdowns (4)
- 2nd in Texas career consecutive games with a passing touchdown (26)
- 3rd in Texas single-game passing touchdowns (5)
- 3rd in Texas career passing yards (9,128)
- 3rd in Texas career passing touchdowns (68)
Coming out of high school, he was touted as a generational passer and a good running quarterback, but the rushing stats he achieved in high school never materialized in college.
Quinn Ewers Strengths
Quinn Ewers showed throughout college he has arm talent and that has never been questioned.
The talent Ewers has is hard to replicate and this could be why many teams will be interested in the quarterback.
Quinn Ewers exhibits exceptional touch and timing on intermediate throws from a clean pocket, consistently hitting receivers in stride between the numbers.
His quick-twitch release allows him to outpace defensive backs, delivering the ball with velocity on timing routes.
More highlights as we're Quinn Ewers days from the start of Texas football! pic.twitter.com/oEM7SvwAlQ
— Hook'em Headlines (@HookemHeadlines) August 30, 2023
Ewers skillfully creates throwing lanes with diverse arm angles and shows impressive craftiness in navigating pressure while maintaining composure.
As a natural rhythm passer, Ewers dominates in the 10-20 yard range, displaying surgical accuracy when his footwork aligns with his throwing platform.
He is a masterful ball-handler, selling play-action fakes with remarkable authenticity that freezes second-level defenders and opens up throwing windows.
His “road warrior” mentality is undeniable—he has achieved eight consecutive wins in hostile environments with an impressive 15:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
After facing adversity, he has proven his bounce-back ability, rebounding from being benched by Georgia to deliver three straight multi-touchdown games.
Ewers commands respect in the huddle, with his competitive fire and leadership presence earning respect from his teammates.
Quinn Ewers Weaknesses
Quinn Ewers demonstrates a significant lack of consistency and touch in the short passing game; even simple screens and dump-offs often become problematic.
Under pressure, his field vision declines quickly, and he always fails to process through progressions when the pocket becomes chaotic.
F It Quinn Ewers Highlights
— @vivamatadoresSBN (@CCCFFSN) July 13, 2023
His decision-making took a marked downturn in 2024, as he repeatedly forced throws into coverage in an ill-fated attempt to generate highlight-worthy plays.
His limited mobility and rushing ability hurt offensive flexibility, leaving him unable to pose any real threat to defenses with his legs.
His injury history, including multiple upper body issues, raises serious durability questions that date back to high school.
Pre-Draft Visits Have Been Set for the Quarterback
One thing we know about Quinn Ewers is that he is inconsistent and this will lead him to being drafted somewhere in the middle rounds unless a team pulls the trigger too quickly.
With the Texas Longhorns Pro Day coming up, Quinn Ewers has set up visits with a few NFL teams.
The most intriguing team is the Dallas Cowboys, who have set a visit with the talented quarterback.
The good thing about the Cowboys visit is he falls under the “local prospect” umbrella, so they will not use up one of their pre-draft visit slots on Ewers.
The Cowboys are not the only team looking at the quarterback.
According to Reports from SI’s Albert Breer, Ewers will have top-30 visits with the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, and Las Vegas Raiders in the near future.
Report: Texas QB Quinn Ewers Meeting With Steelers Ahead Of Pro Day #Steelers #NFL #Pittsburgh https://t.co/ak1W7obVFn
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) March 24, 2025
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a team that has just entered the mix.
So, as teams look to fill needs at the quarterback position, the talent of Quinn Ewers is unquestionable, but can the negatives be corrected by a good quarterbacks coach?
That’s the question these teams will ask themselves as they look at Ewers.
As for the Cowboys, bringing in Quinn Ewers to sit behind Dak Prescott and learn from the veteran could help evolve Ewers’ game.
The Cowboys would be smart to bring in a veteran quarterback along with Quinn Ewers. There are several names out there in free agency. There are several names out there in free agency.
The Cowboys can grab a decent backup in Quinn Ewers and this will be the backup plan for an injury-prone Dak Prescott as a future starter will be needed.