JD PicKell: Quinn Ewers earned a B+ in first start

Quinn Ewers‘ first start on the Forty Acres has come and gone, and while it wasn’t anything spectacular, the redshirt freshman transfer still proved why he’s the starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns.

Defeating ULM 52-10 in last week’s season opener, On3’s JD PicKell has given Ewers a B+ grading heading into Alabama week.

“[Ewers] looked in command. After he settled in after that interception, he looked more confident, more poised, more definitive,” PicKell said. “You saw the talent on display, all things that make you go, ‘okay, I get why he’s the guy in Austin. I get why he’s our quarterback.’ It’s an observation, It’s not a definitive statement just yet, but from what you can draw from one game, I think you should be encouraged.

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“There’s nothing to deter you from being on the Quinn Ewers train if you’re a Texas fan. I will also say this – from week one, until the end of November. Teams change, and with that, players change, especially your quarterback who got his first ever start in the college game … Quinn Ewers will look different from a decision making standpoint, from a confidence standpoint, from a presence standpoint in the pocket than he did on his opening game.”

The natural growth that PicKell expects won’t come overnight, and having to be tested in Week 2 against the nation’s No. 1 team in Alabama will only help that. Though, in PicKell’s scenario this could be a completely different conversation if these two teams were meeting in November rather than September.

“All that to say, I’m excited to watch him against ‘Bama,” PicKell said. “I don’t think that after the Alabama game we need to go ahead and say he is the Heisman trophy, or wow, he’s a bust because if Alabama comes in there and does they’re supposed to do – Alabama is a product that is further developed in Texas – But I’m just saying everybody hold onto their conclusions on Quinn Ewers for a few weeks.”