Why did Quinn Ewers fall in draft? Injury, arm concerns among reasons for seventh-round slip to Dolphins

One of the bigger surprises in this year's NFL Draft is how teams have evaluated quarterbacks. Although the biggest news was Shedeur Sanders' sliding to the fifth round, Texas' Quinn Ewers also remained on the board late on Saturday. 

It took until the seventh round, but he was finally picked by the Miami Dolphins with the No. 231 overall pick. 

The former Longhorn quarterback, who led Texas to a College Football Playoff semifinal last season, was a surprise name to see still available entering the final round of the draft. 

Let's take a look at why Ewers fell and what that could mean for his future in Miami. 

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Why did Quinn Ewers fall in NFL Draft?

Ewers' fall might be the biggest surprise amongst quarterbacks in this year's draft class. He was ranked as the No. 91 overall player in this class, per TSN's Vinnie Iyer's big board. Iyer added that Ewers is "right behind" Sanders in terms of pocket passing. 

As for a reason why, Ewers does have some significant injuries during his three seasons at Texas. He missed five games in both 2022 and 2023 while dealing with shoulder and ankle injuries. 

He even missed two games last season while dealing with a strained oblique muscle. It was later reported after the season that Ewers actually played through a torn oblique during the 2024-25 season. Throughout his career, Ewers played behind a pretty talented offensive line in Austin, as well. 

There's a chance that Ewers' medicals could have come back poorly, but there hasn't been anything reported about that just yet. 

"He's more player than talent," one AFC executive told On3 ahead of the draft. "He's just not a big kid [6-2 1/8, 214]. He's been hurt every year since high school. The arm's very average. There's not a lot of talent there. He's not a starter. He's a distributor. He's a point guard. He ain't going to push it down the field."

Miami QB depth chart

Here's a look at the Dolphins' quarterback depth chart with the addition of Ewers:

Obviously, Ewers isn't expected to start in Miami with Tua Tagovailoa under center, but he is certainly a developmental backup option for the Dolphins. And a competent backup quarterback is something Miami desperately needs, as Tagovailoa has missed 30 games over his five seasons in the league. 

Miami's only other option under center currently is Zach Wilson, who hasn't played in an NFL game since 2023. If Ewers can step up — and stay healthy — if Tagovailoa gets injured, he can prove his worth as a quarterback in the league.