Will Quinn Ewers hold off Arch Manning and win the Heisman Trophy? Taking a glimpse at the Texas QB's odds
Quinn Ewers was the second quarterback in the history of 247 Sports to earn a perfect rating. He will be joined on the Texas Longhorns roster by Arch Manning, the third quarterback to do so. While Manning has plenty of star power as a true freshman, Ewers will be under center for the Longhorns to begin the season.
Could the 20-year-old win the Heisman Trophy? Let's take a look at the chances.
How has Quinn Ewers performed in his college career?
Quinn Ewers joined the Ohio State Buckeyes as a five-star prospect in the 2021 recruiting class. After redshirting his true freshman season, Ewers joined the Texas Longhorns via the transfer portal. He was named the starting quarterback in his first season with the program.
Ewers battled injuries, appearing in just ten games. He finished with 2177 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 58.1% of his passes.
Can Quinn Ewers win the Heisman Trophy?
Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian named Quinn Ewers the starting quarterback entering the 2023 season. The Longhorns roster has taken major strides over the past several seasons, and the goal is to compete for a College Football Playoff spot.
Ewers emerging as a top-tier quarterback would go a long way in helping Texas reach their goal. Jesse Simonton of On3 Sports believes he can do just that, stating:
"Easily the Big 12’s most likely Heisman Trophy contender, Ewers was officially anointed QB1 for the Longhorns this spring after holding off Maalik Murphy and Arch Manning. The former No. 1 overall recruit flashed his 5-star talent against Alabama and Oklahoma last season, but he also struggled with injuries and inconsistencies."
"After a strong spring and surrounded by the best supporting cast of playmakers not at Ohio State, Ewers should have a monster sophomore season. Beat Alabama in Week 2 or take Texas to the Big 12 Championship and Ewers will be among the favorites to win the award come the end of the year."
Simonton gave Ewers the third-best chance to win the Heisman Trophy. He trails only USC Trojans quarterback and 2022 Heisman winner Caleb Williams and Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis.
While Ewers will require a big leap from his 2022 season to enter Heisman talks, he has the talent to do so. Winning the award will be even tougher as it will likely take an incredible performance to beat out Williams for the award.