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Quinn Ewers made his feelings clear on the NFL draft
The Miami Dolphins are most likely going to have a new Week 1 starting quarterback in the 2026 season. Tua Tagovailoa had held that role for the Dolphins since the 2021 season, but after being benched during the 2025 season, the expectation is he will no longer be a part of the team going forward.
Tagovailoa was replaced by rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers for the final three games of the season. In those three games, Ewers went 1-2 as he threw for three touchdowns and three interceptions. Ewers posted a 32.0 QBR, which would have ranked last in the NFL had he qualified, but he did display some positive moments as a rookie.
However, entering Year 2, Ewers will likely have a chance to compete. He recently spoke with former NFL head coach Jon Gruden and revealed some of his thoughts during last year’s draft process.
Miami Dolphins’ Quinn Ewers Reveals Feelings on NFL Draft
During the 2025 NFL Draft, Ewers fell to the seventh-round, as he was selected by the Miami Dolphins with the No. 231 pick. Prior to the draft, he was primarily seen as a Day 2 selection. NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein had projected him to be selected in the third-round. When asked about his draft slide, Ewers said, “I was a little upset. But glad I ended up where I did.”
Entering the Draft, Zierlein wrote of Ewers, “Ewers’ arm talent and game flashes are enticing, but he hasn’t learned to play the game with a high enough level of consistency. The tape of road wins over Alabama and Michigan over the last two seasons showed the clearest picture of Ewers’ ceiling. He spins it with a sudden release and good touch over the first two levels and makes it look easy when he finds a rhythm. He won a high percentage of his career starts but struggled to put points on the board in most big games in 2024.
Ewers rarely operates as a smooth, full-field reader. He often predetermines his target and throws into coverage instead of taking what the defense is offering. A lack of escapability will require him to process quickly enough to stay ahead of NFL blitz packages. The raw talent and upside will be alluring for pro-style passing attacks, but it’s fair to wonder if he will ever be able to rise above the talent on his roster and the ability of his play-caller to create favorable terms.”
After being drafted by the Dolphins, Ewers competed with former second overall pick Zach Wilson for the backup quarterback role. Wilson won that competition, but once Tua Tagovailoa was benched, head coach Mike McDaniel believed Ewers gave the team a better chance to win.
Ewers Comments on 2025 Season
Ewers also spoke about his brief playing time toward the end of the season.“Got some playing time at the end of the year. Thought I put some good stuff on tape,” Ewers said.
“I thought I gained a lot of confidence in that first game. It might not show in the stat sheet, but I actually thought I played pretty well.”
“I thought I gained a lot of confidence in that first game. It might not show it in the stat sheet, I actually thought I played pretty well.” Despite throwing two interceptions and no touchdowns in that first start, Ewers threw for 260 passing yards, which was the most for any rookie during the 2025 season in their first start.
It remains unclear who the Dolphins will add to compete with Ewers for the starting job in 2026.
Jose Esquer Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His work spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has written for platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can find him on Twitter/X @JEsquer8, usually talking Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer
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