Pete Thamel evaluates Texas' complicated QB dynamic in 2024, Quinn Ewers' 2025 NFL Draft prospects

Pete Thamel knows Texas has a bit of a complicated quarterback dynamic with Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning.

It’s complicated beneath the surface though, since Ewers is the starting quarterback again and a potential Top 10 NFL Draft pick. Manning, a five-star-plus prospect per On3, is a much hyped QB that could be elite once he takes the field.

But for now, it’s all about Ewers, according to Thamel.

“I really feel like Arch Manning is going to take the same amount of relevant snaps this year as he took last year as Texas’ quarterback, which was zero,” Thamel said on Get Up. Quinn Ewers is a top 10 NFL draft pick. I think if Quinn Ewers went out in the last draft, he would have been a top 10 pick. He is 16-6 as a starter at Texas. If Texas wins 12 games this year … Ewers would end up as Texas’ third all time winningest quarterback behind guys named Colt McCoy and Vince Young. So I really feel like if Ewers stays healthy which is an issue, he missed three games two seasons ago. He missed two games last year.

“He walked into media days, almost at 215 pounds, he’s a bigger guy. (Ewers) looks like he has an NFL ready body. I feel like if he stays healthy this year, Arch Manning is going to stay where he stayed, he’s on the bench. Remember, Arch Manning was the third string quarterback at Texas last year. Maalik Murphy played the two games that Quinn Ewers missed. Maalik obviously transferred to Duke where he’ll be the starter. So Arch Manning right now is break only in case of emergency.”

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum agreed and added that he appreciated Manning’s approach to college football, especially behind Ewers.

“This is so unique in a platform of college football right now, where everything is bad and players have their money out in or holding up coaches at halftime, this is so different,” Finebaum said. “This is the outlier. And quite frankly, there’s a reason for it. The Mannings are royalty in college football. They’re the first family and I can’t think of anyone else, any other family where you could have that and I just think it’s fantastic that Arch Manning is going this route.”

For now it’s Ewers, but don’t rule out Manning due to emergency because of injury. Either way, both QBs seem to be set up for success.