With Steve Sarkisian’s Texas, Quinn Ewers finds his career on the rocks and there’s only one path left for him.

There’s word that Quinn Ewers’ next time on a college football gridiron might be his last. It may seem like an exaggeration, but this is a very concrete result. For now, Steve Sarkisian is preparing Ewers’ Texas offense for the Peach Bowl against ASU. If you stand back and peer over the proverbial horizon, the future of this offense will be another quarterback under center. This raises questions that are etched into a rather morbid reality.

What’s next for Quinn Ewers? This straightforward question has a very complicated answer, and he may want to avoid thinking too deeply about himself. He is. Ewers has publicly stated that he is not thinking about his future. He is said to be focusing on crossing the CFP and potentially reaching Natty. Even if he wants to discern what lies ahead, an Arch Manning-shaped cloud will obscure his prospects. Sarkisian hinted that Arch is involved in the Longhorns’ plans going forward. It’s almost a foregone conclusion that Ewers will leave Texas to make way for the vice president. But where does the mystery remain? National scout ratings would suggest it’s not the NFL.

Cody Belair breaks down Quinn Ewers’ 2024 season on the On3 YouTube channel. He used his insight into why Ewers’ draft stock wasn’t as high. “What I think has shown Quinn Ewers’ limitations this year is his processing, right? Some mistakes. He has moments where he’s slow to read or not progress efficiently,” Belair said. This is somewhat abstract and can only be guessed by a scout. But Bellaire continued to point out a very obvious physical regression.

“I think Quinn Ewers has lost some weight since he started college,” Bellaire said, emphasizing that kids who come out of high school usually go down different paths. “There’s a lot of concern from the NFL side. Some guys I talked to said, ‘I don’t know if this player has the stamina to stand up there and make shots at the next level.’ ” Belair said.

There is a correlation between pass rushers getting better at getting closer to the quarterback and their health. Injuries to players like Tua Tagovailoa have raised the league’s radar in recent seasons. Quinn Ewers has been plagued by injuries throughout his time in Texas. So it’s no wonder GMs are reluctant to put the franchise on his back. Unfortunately, an immediate NFL starting spot doesn’t seem to be in Ewers’ future if he chooses to enter the draft. This increases the possibility of departing from Austin on a different route.

Another Natty candidate is interested in onboarding with Quinn Ewers

Transfer portals are now like “get out of jail free” cards. It gives you a do-over or a second chance. This might be exactly what Quinn Ewers needs. Talking about him in an NFL context can cast him in a negative light. But remember, he’s still better than about 90% of his classmates at the college level. With one year of eligibility remaining, Ewers could be a good stopgap solution for a contending team. One such program has already made their interest known to the public.

According to CFB reporter Trey Wallace, Notre Dame is considering moving Ewers. Current QB1 Riley Leonard has been great and continues to do so in the playoffs. However, Leonard will be ineligible at the end of this season. Marcus Freeman could do a lot worse than trading one quality, experienced vet for another.

At the beginning of this season, Quinn Ewers had multiple options to guide his career trajectory. After an injury-plagued and overall unsatisfactory season, some doors probably closed. It remains to be seen what he will decide to do. That’s highly unlikely, but it could become clear as soon as the Peach Bowl concludes on New Year’s Day, just in case Texas was on the wrong side regarding the outcome.