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The Miami Dolphins finally ended Quinn Ewers’ draft day slide, snagging the former Texas quarterback in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Many fans were shocked when Ewers declared for the draft – especially since he could’ve cashed in with a much bigger NIL payday through the transfer portal. With Texas set to hand the keys to Arch Manning this fall, Ewers clearly saw the writing on the wall in Austin.
Ewers’ final season with the Longhorns wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. He battled through injuries while fans constantly called for his backup after every mistake. The pressure was immense – and understandably so. Manning isn’t just any backup; he’s football royalty as Archie’s grandson and nephew to Peyton and Eli. The Manning family knows how to produce NFL quarterbacks.
If Arch lives up to the hype this season, he’ll likely hear his name called first in next year’s draft.
Manning’s Presence Actually Helped Ewers Land in Miami
Despite being overshadowed by Manning’s potential, the Dolphins had their eyes on Ewers all along – particularly impressed by his mental toughness under difficult circumstances.
Dolphins GM Will Grier explained their interest: “Mike [McDaniel] and I met him at the Texas workout last year and spent some time with him. We talked to coach [Steve] Sarkisian, and ‘Sark’ was really high on him – especially how he played through injuries this season.”
He’s a gamer.
What stood out most was how Ewers handled the Manning situation. “Sark praised his toughness, both physically and mentally,” Grier continued. “The way he pushed through his injury, dealt with the expectations, and managed all that pressure with [Arch] Manning waiting in the wings – that showed us something. His teammates really responded to his leadership too.”
Despite all that noise, Ewers still put up impressive numbers – 3,472 passing yards with 31 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. He also guided the Longhorns to the College Football Playoff semifinal before falling to eventual national champion Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.
Texas Connection Made Ewers a Perfect Fit
The Dolphins weren’t just impressed by Ewers’ character – they saw scheme fit too. The similarities between Mike McDaniel’s offense and what Sarkisian runs at Texas made Ewers an intriguing Day 3 target for Miami.
McDaniel couldn’t hide his excitement about the system overlap: “That gives him a real advantage as a rookie. The way he orchestrates an offense – from motion timing to anticipating throws – there’s a natural fit there. We’re excited to get him into our program and start working.”
While Ewers now begins his NFL journey without Manning and Texas in his rearview mirror, it’s ironic that both played crucial roles in landing him in an ideal situation with Miami. Sometimes the pressure that pushes you out the door leads to better opportunities elsewhere.
