The Ohio State Buckeyes.
We all saw this coming.
Back in August, Ewers committed to play for the Texas Longhorns. He posted on Twitter then,
“Committed!!! #TexasBornAndRaised.”
Ewers, the #1 ranked player in his class, was the biggest recruit get for Tom Herman. Last year, the 6’3” 215lb QB threw for 4,003 yards, 45 touchdowns, and just 3 interceptions while completing over 70% of his passes. He led the Dragons to a 13-1 season, losing in the regional finals to Duncanville. He has had a solid Junior year and has the Southlake Carroll Dragons at 4-1, with their one loss being a 42-44 loss to Rockwall.
Texas Longhorn fans were excited about Ewers. Texas has struggled to get some of the top in-state players over the last decade, especially at the skill positions. Though, rumors started circulating quickly that the commitment might be a bit shaky. Three weeks ago, Ewers announced that he was decommitting from Texas. Ewers released this statement then:
“Recently, as I’ve competed alongside my teammates during my junior season at Southlake Carroll, I’ve also taken some time to think about my future. Given the COVID-19 pandemic facing us, this has been a challenging year for students like myself, with the support of my family, I tried to navigate the recruiting process the best way I could. With the process being abnormal this season, I tried my best to keep an open mind to all possibilities. However, the more I’ve considered the more I’ve come to realize I didn’t explore all options as thoroughly as I would have liked. Therefore, I’ve decided to de-commit and reassess the situation before making such an important decision on my future. I would like to thank the University of Texas for their belief in me and my abilities. I understand this year has been challenging for the coaches and administrators as well, so I appreciate their understanding and wish them the best in their future. My family and I also thank Texas Longhorn fans were their interest in support. I will soon have a firm decision on where I will spend the next few formative years of my life and career and I look forward to sharing that with you.”
There was a lot of speculation as to exactly why Ewers decided not to join the Longhorns, though Ewers never pointed to anything specific. At the time, it was widely thought that he would quickly be committing to Ohio State, with Alabama still a possibility. Though as days went on, it was clear that the Buckeyes were going to be the choice. Today, Ewers made his decision official. He announced on Twitter, simply:
COMMITTED!! #GodsPlan
The announcement did not go over well with Longhorn fans on Twitter. If you go through the comments, you’ll see a few Ohio State fans welcoming him, but mostly Longhorns fans giving him a hard time.
From Ewers standpoint, though a recent Ohio State Quarterback has yet to become a star in the NFL, under Urban Meyer and Ryan Day, which is essentially an extension of the Meyer era, the Buckeyes have had their last 4 starting Quarterbacks all make it to the NFL (one as a wide receiver), and current starter Justin Fields looks like he will be a top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He will also have a chance to compete for National Championships at Ohio State from day one. Though, it sure would have been great to see a “Texas born and raised” Quarterback lead the Longhorns back to prominence.
