While Miami Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers' poor debut in the 2025 NFL preseason was far from the worst game a signal-caller has played in recent NFL history, it was bad enough to get some fans wondering about both Ewers' overall talent and Arch Manning's status as an elite quarterback prospect.
Ewers, who was a consensus 5-star recruit and the No. 1 player in the nation at his position in high school, completed just five of 18 passes and lost two fumbles. This comes after starting the 2024 season as a fringe first-round prospect before falling all the way to the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Manning, who was widely regarded as the top quarterback prospect in the 2026 class before his grandpa Archie declared that he would return to school after this year, is not getting his game micromanaged after Ewers looked wholly out of place during his Miami debut.
This is the guy Arch couldn't beat out in two full seasons? Some fans were not very charitable towards Manning, with some wondering if he can really take the Longhorns to the next level after failing to assert himself over Ewers. Miami's third-string quarterback was also ripped to shreds, with some saying Ewers may be destined for a career in coaching.
Dolphins QB Quinn Ewers struggling is hurting Arch Manning
Even though Ewers put up good numbers at UT, his lack of elite arm strength and erratic accuracy limited his potential. Miami was seduced by his touch on deep throws and playmaking out of structure, but neither of those traits showed up in his first extended action.
In six games, which included two starts after Ewers went down with injuries, Manning threw for 939 yards and nine touchdowns against just two interceptions while running in four more scores. However, those two starts came against Louisiana-Monroe and a two-win Mississippi State team.
Ewers' pedigree certainly helped him maintain his starting role, and he always put up statistical numbers that were good enough to prevent Manning from taking over. None of that matters in Miami, however. Dolphins fans unimpressed by Ewers' prodigious high school career are left concerned by the state of their quarterback room.
Manning may have superior mobility and the most famous last name in football, but if Ewers keeps stinking it up, his inability to assert himself as the starter might start to concern NFL evaluators out there.