Texas QB Quinn Ewers is still projected to feature prominently in the 2025 NFL mock drafts, but that lofty first-round prospect status continues to take hits. Perhaps the biggest shock for Ewers as a draft prospect came Saturday night, when Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian benched Ewers for heralded freshman QB Arch Manning.

Ewers wilted early on under heavy pressure from the Georgian defense. A skittish Ewers had no answers and looked panicked and overwhelmed, so Sarkisian benched him for Manning.

The yanking worked, albeit not in the expected way. Manning also struggled in his two offensive series, and Sarkisian returned to Ewers for the second half.

In that half, Ewers looked more balanced and confident. He also received better protection from the right side of his line, which underperformed throughout the first half. Ewers threw two touchdowns and sparked a short-lived comeback for the top-ranked Longhorns.

“Quinn is our starting quarterback,” Sarkisian said after the game. “I appreciate the fact that we’re fortunate to have a backup like Arch who can come into the game and provide a spark in a way, but at the end of the day, Quinn is our starter.”

The way Ewers played after re-entering the game could save the Texas QB’s dignity. He rebounded nicely and held his own against the most effective defense Georgia played all season.

The Ewers looked in the second half like a guy who might have a viable NFL future. The trick will be balancing that with the disastrous first half and overall disappointing senior season thus far. The benching could provide the spark Ewers needs to reach his considerable potential. But it’s more likely that Ewers’ draft stock plummets in the upcoming projections.

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This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: How Quinn Ewers benched vs. Georgia affects his 2025 NFL Draft stock