One of the coolest things about basketball’s NCAA Tournament is that it gives players the opportunity to conquer a national stage and make a name for themselves almost overnight. And while the College Football Playoff certainly won’t remind anyone of March Madness, the situation does present a similar opportunity for prospects looking to the future. NFL draft – specifically at the quarterback position.
Earlier this week, Penn State QB Drew Allar told reporters he plans to return for his senior year. As is the case with most things in college football these days, nothing about that revelation is set in stone. Texas QB Quinn Ewers, meanwhile, finds himself back at the decision table with Arch Manning hot on his heels.
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Allar connected on 13 of 22 passes for 127 yards on Saturday Penn State’s loss to SMUwhile Ewers finished 17 of 24 for 202 yards, a touchdown and an interception as Texas held off a Clemson comeback attempt.
Let’s take a look at where those quarterbacks stand regarding the 2025 NFL Draft class, especially in light of Saturday’s Playoff performance.
You can watch nine straight dropbacks from Allar and be completely convinced he’s not ready for the NFL. Then, on the 10th, he makes a Josh Allen print and you’re back to the beginning. Very little about the 20-year-old quarterback’s process is consistent or ideal.
During Penn State’s first few possessions Saturday against SMU, Allar’s feet often moved way too fast during his drops. That problem left him ready to throw before the receivers could break open, resulting in awkward scrambles and checkdowns.
There were also still far too many instances where Allar got stuck reading and responded with happy feet. When he starts bouncing around in the pocket, he often drops his eyes or rushes a throw before his feet are back under him. Allar also has a bad habit of fading on relatively easy drops, especially when he feels some pressure – which also contributes to his accuracy issues.
Little about Allar’s performance on Saturday was clean. At the same time, he showed off some of the things that keep NFL scouts extremely interested.
We saw him step off the rush on a third-and-long and deliver a shot from off the platform to a receiver below for a smooth 25-yard gain, making a play when it didn’t look like one could be made . . He did the same later in the game when SMU covered a flea flicker, forcing Allar to save the play by adjusting his body and making a tricky throw to the back.
Overall, Allar has been fantastic between the numbers this season. He also has a huge arm, can run and isn’t afraid of the moment.
The full context with Allar is of course important. He was a late bloomer in high school, and although he has been on the field for Penn State since his true freshman season, his experience level lags behind many of his peers. And that’s part of the reason why his footwork is still a work in progress. It’s better today than it was a year ago, but it still needs to improve.
The biggest question is whether an NFL team will be patient with Allar. While there are more coaches in the league now willing to give time to young QBs than a decade ago, the NFL is not a developmental league.
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If Allar declares for the 2025 draft, he likely wouldn’t make the second round, and it’s entirely possible he could be picked in the first round. If he were to return – and dramatically improve his draft consistency – he could have the tools to be QB1 in the 2026 draft class, regardless of who else claims.
Quinn Ewers’ ballad is a long and winding story. From a pure arm talent standpoint, his appeal has always been clear. Much like former South Carolina and current New Orleans Saints QB Spencer Rattler, Ewers’ ability to get the ball out quickly and with velocity from virtually any arm angle is as good as it gets. He doesn’t need much time – and doesn’t need a receiver to be wide open.
When Ewers’ feet are under him and he is protected, he throws an extremely nice ball and has the look and feel of a quarterback who could survive in the NFL. The problem for Ewers, however, is that those moments were flashes and not the norm.
He has them almost every game, including in Texas’ playoff win over Clemson. The Longhorns spent most of the first half running the ball and limited Ewers’ attempts to areas under areas with different screens. When Texas leads, Ewers is often the most efficient; when he’s asked to make throws from behind or with the game tied late in a game, things can get problematic.
Ewers did have an interception on a dropped ball in this game, but his throw on that play probably didn’t give his receiver much of a chance to do anything other than bobble it or level it. He also put a ball on Matthew Golden’s hip on a failed fourth-down play.
What’s easy to respect about Ewers’ game, however, is the way he always gets back on the horse. Ewers has had some rough patches this season (his performance against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game was problematic). But every time he stumbles, he gets back up and fights. Old QB coaches will tell you that the greatest sign of a quarterback’s courage is what he does immediately after an interception.
After his mistake Saturday, Ewers quickly recovered and led a scoring drive, capped off with a touchdown pass. He has moments of struggle, yes. But he rarely, if ever, collapses completely.
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I’m not nearly as high on Ewers as some are – to me he’s a fourth-to-fifth round prospect. I don’t think this is a Bo Nix situation, where you have an undersized passer with enough mobility, smarts and arm talent to make an offense work without sabotaging it. It’s hard to feel confident that Ewers could do that on a regular basis for an NFL team.
Allar and Ewers are the top two NFL quarterback prospects in the 2024 College Football Playoff, and each is a prime example of what the 2025 QB class will be about. There isn’t a single questionable passer in this class; every prospect has a significant flaw or a pretty big question mark about their game.
Allar’s arm is huge, his body is huge, he’s a great athlete and he’s only 20. The appeal is obvious. That includes the downsides, as he will be heavily protected by Penn State’s (rather gimmicky) offense throughout his career and won’t survive in the NFL with the footwork he’s currently showing. And Ewers’ arm talent is real, even if he can be a frustrating prospect overall.
For Allar, a possible semifinal matchup with Georgia or Notre Dame would give us (and perhaps Allar himself) a lot more information. That said, right now it feels like he’s making the right decision to return to Penn State and keep working on the little things.
As for Ewers? He should also get opportunities to prove himself against top-level defenses during this Play-off. But he is in his third season as a starter and his fourth in college. He may be as ready as he will be for the next level. Unlike Allar, a new year for Ewers — be it in Texas or elsewhere — won’t change much in his draft profile.
(Top Photos of Drew Allar and Quinn Ewers: Mitchell Leff and Jack Gorman / Getty Images)