Quinn Ewers made it official Monday on Twitter. The nation's No. 1 high school football recruit from the Class of 2022 will forgo his senior year at
Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas) and enroll at Ohio State to further "his football career," as well as capitalize on name, image and likeness opportunities.
The 6-foot-3, 206-pound quarterback reclassified to 2021, is already at Ohio State and should be zipping passes around Columbus when camp opens Tuesday.
"My preference would have been to complete my senior season at Southlake Carroll along with the teammates and friends I've taken the field alongside for the past three years," Ewers tweeted. "However, following conversations with my family and those I know have my best interests in mind, I've decided it's time for me to enroll at Ohio State. … This is not just a financial decision; This is about what is best for my football career."
Ewers isn't the first high-profile prep football player to
reclassify and leave high school early, but is the first to do so with
the lure of NIL money. Nearly a dozen high school basketball players have made landmark jumps to professional
leagues — NBA G League and Overtime Elite — somewhat based on similar
monetary opportunities.
The college landscape changed dramatically last month when the NCAA adopted the policy allowing athletes to benefit financially.
The
high school level has not taken such a stand with the National
Federation of State High School Associations stating that profiting off a
player's relation to his or her team is prohibited. The University
Interscholastic League, the governing body for Texas public high school
sports, has publicly announced that state legislation prohibits prep
players from cashing in on NIL money.
According to reports, with more than 23,000 Twitter followers and 84,000
on Instagram, he could earn nearly $1 million in his first season
alone.
Ewers departure alters, slightly, the landscape of Texas football after he threw for 6,445 yards and 73 touchdowns in his career at Carroll, which entered the season No. 7 in the preseason MaxPreps Top 25 national rankings.
The Dragons are still a Top 25 team, even without Ewers, said MaxPreps football editor Zack Poff.
Kaden Anderson, a 6-foot-4 strong-armed rising junior, replaces Ewers at quarterback after completing 14-of-19 passes as a sophomore for 169 yards and three touchdowns in four games.
"He has a lot of potential," Poff said. "Big frame, strong arm. Carroll is still loaded.
Owen Allen is a big-time junior running back.
Landon Samson and
R.J. Maryland are big-time playmakers. And the defense returns a lot of talent.
"They'll drop down a bit, but will still be in the Top 25."
Ewers, considered the top quarterback prospect since Trevor Lawrence, had planned to graduate early and enroll at Ohio State in January. He had hoped to lead the Dragons to a state title after falling in the 6A-1 title game last season, 52-34, to Austin Westlake, which opens the season at No. 4.
Southlake Carroll opens the season Aug. 26 against Highland Park (Dallas) as part of the
2021 ESPN GEICO kickoff series.
With Ewers reclassified,
Collins Hill (Suwanee, GA) cornerback and receiver
Travis Hunter is the overall No. 1 recruit of the 2022 class.
Quinn Ewers threw for 2,442 yards and 28 touchdowns in just eight games in 2020.
Photo by Michael Horbovetz
