What Quinn Ewers’ decision means for Ohio State, NIL and future college football recruits

Quinn Ewers, a three star athlete from Ohio State, will head to Stanford, leaving the Buckeyes without a commitment from a third cornerback of the class of 2015. However, Ewers’ departure does not mean the Buckeyes are in a desperate need for cornerbacks. Although he is a solid cornerback prospect and a great athlete, the Buckeyes are loaded with five cornerbacks currently on the roster. The Buckeyes have five cornerbacks committed for the 2015 class, and they have another six recruits they are targeting for the class. The Buckeyes are positioned to land another cornerback, with the help of a strong 2015 class, in January.

With the Ohio State Buckeyes winning the Big Ten Championship, and just days after the announcement of a new commitment from five-star running back J.K. Dobbins, the Buckeyes added another talented recruit into their 2019 recruiting class. Running back Quinn Ewers, a 4-star running back from the Cleveland area, committed on Monday afternoon, making the Buckeyes the final team to land the 2019 elite running back and one of the last major programs to make a commitment before the early signing period begins on December 19.

Ohio State has been the “signing day capital” of the country for some time, and this year is no different. A top-ranked class of 2018 prospect, N.Y. native Quinn Ewers, announced his commitment to the Buckeyes on Thursday. Ewers, a 5-star all-purpose back, is the 14th member of Ohio State’s Class of 2018.

Quinn Ewers, a quarterback prospect, revealed on Monday that he would forego his senior year of high school and enroll at Ohio State, making him eligible this season.

The fact that Texas bans high school athletes from benefiting from their name, image, or likeness was a major influence in his choice to quit school early (NIL). Companies approached Ewers about potential NIL agreements, but owing to state legislation, he was unable to sign anything.

Ewers’ choice raises concerns about why he was allowed to depart, what it implies for other Texas prospects, and how this decision will impact high school organizations throughout the nation.

Why did Ewers act in this manner?

Because he had adequate high school credits, Ewers planned to enroll at Ohio State in January. Quarterbacks are often encouraged to come on campus early. Things changed for Ewers when the NIL regulations were established, allowing colleges to benefit from their name, image, and likeness.

“No individual, corporate entity, or other organization may enter into any arrangement with a prospective student athlete relating to the prospective student athlete’s name, image, or likeness prior to their enrollment in an institution of higher education,” Texas passed a bill on July 1 regarding NIL and high school athletes, stating, “No individual, corporate entity, or other organization may enter into any arrangement with a prospective student athlete relating to the prospective student athlete’s name, image, or likeness prior to their enrollment in an institution of higher

In Texas, high school students are not permitted to benefit from NIL until they enroll in college. That regulation is being enforced by the University Interscholastic League, which oversees public school sports in Texas.

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That didn’t sit well with Ewers, the class’s No. 2 overall prospect and No. 1 quarterback, who was barred from participating in any offers or contracts despite the possibility of NIL chances.

Ewers just has to complete one class to graduate from high school, so he’ll do it this summer and then enroll at Ohio State.

Ewers’ decision was influenced by seeing others who have yet to play a down in college take advantage of the new NIL regulations. Bryce Young, the best quarterback in the 2020 class, has yet to debut for the Crimson Tide but has already earned almost $800,000 in non-guaranteed agreements.

Is there a NIL agreement in place for him?

No, not yet. Holy Kombucha, a Texas beverage business, has been in contact with Ewers. While there have been talks, Theresa Pham, one of the company’s co-founders, said that no agreement has been reached.

“A contract hasn’t been reached yet, and there hasn’t been any back-and-forth,” Pham added. “It was simply their family that got in contact with us and said they’d want to talk further. As a result, we’re at a really early stage.”

The business finds a lot of value in working with Ewers because of their primary purpose and collaboration with Hope Squad to help fund the school-based peer-to-peer suicide prevention program. Ewers has shown an interest in mental health awareness, and the two sides agree on how Ewers might assist spread the word and increase awareness about adolescent suicide prevention.

Pham said, “Our goal is to assist Hope Squad get into as many schools as possible.” “So, if Quinn Ewers’ name is attached to our brand, it’s actually to assist us in getting this Hope Squad initiative off the ground and supporting them.”

What does this imply for other high school organizations throughout the country?

Given the nature of Ewers’ position, this may be an unique occurrence, but it is likely to resurface for states and high school organizations that ban high school athletes from benefiting from their name, image, or likeness.

Whether a student-athlete has the option of leaving early for college or transferring to another state is unlikely to matter, as many will choose to compete and make money from their own brand.

However, there are two significant distinctions in what high school organizations may be able to alter in the future. Associations in jurisdictions with laws banning high school athletes from benefiting from NIL have no legal authority to alter such laws.

Texas, Mississippi, and Illinois are the three states with laws banning its athletes from participating in NIL, according to attorney Darren Heitner, who has been watching NIL carefully.

“If you look at Texas, Mississippi, and Illinois, those three states, in particular, go above and beyond what other states do,” Heitner said. “The law in Florida explicitly grants these NIL rights to college athletes while prohibiting organizations, conferences, and institutions from exercising them. It does not preclude high school athletes from earning money from their athletic fame; however, if a high school athlete’s school is a member of the FHSAA, which currently prohibits athletes from earning money from their athletic fame, the athlete must adhere to that regulation or risk losing specific high school eligibility.”

High school athletes in Texas, Mississippi, and Illinois would have to petition the state to alter the regulation. Other choices include transferring to a new state or enrolling in college early, like Ewers did.

Due to the lack of a state legislation in Florida and several other states, the regulations surrounding NIL may be modified by the high school association. Some states have begun to consider loosening their regulations to enable high school athletes to benefit from NIL.

“The exception to that is the state of California, which has enabled high school athletes to profit from their NIL as long as they don’t use their school’s [logo, school name, mascot, etc.],” Heitner said. “As a result, a state like New York, as well as its high school sports organization, are now reviewing its limitations on the topic. They will reconvene in October to discuss the possibility of revising it so that New York is on an equal footing with California.”

Heitner thinks that other high school organizations will follow suit, although no other states have yet begun.

What does this imply for other NIL age elite recruits?

For high school athletics, not every state has the same set of regulations. Some people are permitted to benefit from NIL, therefore it will have no effect on them.

It presents a unique difficulty for recruits who live in places where signing NIL contracts is prohibited, but it is unlikely to affect the majority of high school prospects. This kind of chance and a large enough endorsement deal will only be available to top-level and highly sought-after talents who are willing to leave their high school teams. Even so, they’d have to be in a position where they’d be able to graduate from high school before their final year.

Many prospects go ahead of schedule academically and enroll in college in January after their senior year, but not every prospect meets the criteria to bypass their senior year entirely.

Anthony Hill, a linebacker, is the top-ranked recruit in Texas for the 2023 class. Hill is rated No. 5 in the class overall, only three places ahead of Ewers in 2022. Hill does not believe that Texas prospects skipping their senior season will become commonplace.

“I believe some other individuals will do it because certain people have various circumstances where they may need that money,” Hill added. “But I don’t expect it to happen often, and I want to complete my senior year of high school. It wouldn’t make much of a difference to me since I’m graduating from high school early anyhow.”

Hill’s comments were echoed by defensive tackle David Hicks, who is the No. 2 prospect in Texas for the 2023 cycle, but he admits that others may follow in Ewers’ footsteps due to the lure of possible NIL agreements.

“That’s a huge thing,” Hicks said. “Not many kids receive that kind of money.” “Although it may seem enticing, I don’t believe many students will begin transferring or graduating early. I’m planning on staying for my senior year, so I wouldn’t miss it.”

Quinn Ewers intends to take advantage of NIL by skipping his senior year and enrolling at Ohio State in the autumn. AP Photos/Ben Powell/Odessa American

What is Ewers’ contribution to the table?

Unlike other incoming freshmen, Ewers did not have the option of enrolling as early as the middle of the year to help him acclimatize and compete with C.J. Stroud, Jack Miller, and Kyle McCord of the 2021 class. He also didn’t sign up for courses or exercises during the summer, so Ewers is at the bottom of a four-man depth chart with less than a month to climb it.

Since Kyler Murray, Ewers is probably the greatest natural passer in Texas at this point. Ewers’ release is fast and smooth, and his anticipation and timing of passes are above-average for a collegiate quarterback. When under pressure, Ewers’ ability to stay cool and composed with his mechanics sets him apart. He has excellent field vision, does not push throws, has good touch, and can add velocity to fit the ball into small openings. Ewers, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 205 pounds, has top physical attributes as a quarterback, including an excellent frame and the ability to create plays on the ground. As a junior in high school, he’s as near to the complete package as you can get.

Yes, Ewers is gifted, and he is physically advanced and older (18 years old), which may ease the learning curve, but it isn’t his incredible arm skill or physical characteristics that will matter in the near run. All of the other aspects of being an incoming freshman will decide whether or not he is in the running.

Being away from home for the first time, having to be accountable for his time at all hours of the day, acclimating academically and socially, a rise in competition, a deep depth chart, a lack of reps, and many other factors that dictate the pace of his development are among the unknown variables and life adjustments. He will most likely not be involved right away, and that is OK. This may take some time, therefore anyone looking to invest in Ewers from a NIL standpoint should be patient. Tom Luginbill (Tom Luginbill)

In 2021, what does this imply for Ohio State?

The Buckeyes are replacing quarterback Justin Fields, who was drafted first overall in the NFL draft this year.

While battling with Miller and McCord for the starting position, Stroud seems to be in the lead. All three quarterbacks were ESPN 300 prospects coming out of high school, with McCord ranking fifth among pocket passers in this year’s class.

Ewers will be able to participate in fall camp as soon as he enrolls at Ohio State. Stroud and Miller are both in their second year, while McCord is just in his first, so there isn’t much of a difference in experience between those three and Ewers.

It doesn’t seem conceivable that a high school quarterback who should be preparing for his senior season could go into Ohio State and earn the starting position in a couple of weeks. Ewers’ skill, on the other hand, makes it at least conceivable for such to happen.

He still has to study the playbook and adjust to college life, but it’s not out of the question that he plays for the Buckeyes at some point this season.

If he doesn’t play this year, he’ll have a redshirt season to adapt to college football and acquire experience he wouldn’t have had otherwise. If he redshirts this season, he’ll still have four years of eligibility left and be in a good position to take over next season.

This isn’t the first time someone has done anything like this. Tony Grimes, a cornerback, skipped his senior year to attend North Carolina in 2020. Grimes made 14 total tackles, four pass breakups, and one interception in 12 games for the Tar Heels. Grimes needed a few games to gain his bearings, but once he did, he demonstrated why he was rated as a five-star prospect by most recruiting agencies.

He recorded three tackles, two pass breakups and a sack in the Capital One Orange Bowl against Texas A&M and has garnered a ton of buzz headed into the 2021 season.

Although cornerback and quarterback are two very different positions that demand a distinct set of skills and a different learning curve, Grimes shown that the transition can be successful.

The NCAA’s decision not to reinstate Ohio State three-star cornerback Justin Ewers has brought about plenty of talk about how the Buckeyes and other schools should be recruiting players who are going to be ineligible.. Read more about quinn ewers espn and let us know what you think.

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