Former Southlake star Quinn Ewers profits while the Dragons continue on
SOUTHLAKE, Texas — When former Southlake Carroll Dragons quarterback Quinn Ewers forwent his senior year of academics, and likewise forwent his senior season of high school football, the national media went into a frenzy about the new recruiting landscape due to the Supreme Court’s ruling against the NCAA leading to the possibility of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) contracts.
The former No. 1 prospect in Texas reclassified after a junior season where he played in eight games, passed for 2,442 yards and added 28 touchdowns to only five interceptions. His reclassification came shortly after the Texas’ University Interscholastic League (UIL) ruled that high school athletes are prohibited from signing NIL contracts.
In a personal statement released via Twitter, Ewers acknowledged that Texas’ UIL would prohibit his ability to financially profit on his Name, Image and Likeness if he remained at the prep level but clarified that his decision was not solely financial.
“This is about what is best for my football career,” he said. “At 18, and with one final class about to be completed to earn my high school degree, I feel it’s time to get the jump on my college career that is available to me. I am eager to start learning from Coach (Ryan) Day and the rest of the coaching staff.”
— Quinn Ewers (@QuinnEwers) August 2, 2021
Shortly after enrolling into Ohio State University, Ewers signed a NIL contract with GT Sport Management worth $1.4 million over three years. This news prompted Ewers’ high school coach, Riley Dodge, to release a statement via Twitter, in an effort to keep focus on the Southlake Carroll Dragons’ 2021 season.
“The entire Dragon community will greatly miss Quinn on and off the field,” Coach Dodge said. “He is an incredible young man who exemplifies what it means to be a Dragon – inspiring excellence in his teammates and modeling what excellence looks like in the classroom and on the field. Dragon Nation is very proud of what Quinn has accomplished, and we wish him the best at Ohio State. At this time, we respectfully ask that everyone allows our program to continue to concentrate on the 2021 football season and our Dragon athletes.”
#ProtectTheTradition #NoFear #Finish pic.twitter.com/O7TeA1s1kV
— Riley Dodge (@coachrdodge) August 2, 2021
Coach Dodge’s Dragons are currently 7-0 (3-0 in league play) and ranked as the 12th best team in the country according to the latest release of High School Football rankings by MaxPreps. The Dragons recently cruised to a 63-7 victory against Keller Central (2-4).
While the Dragons have yet to skip a beat compared to last season, Ewers is currently adjusting to the college football learning curve under Coach Day.
“I think he would tell you that it’s been hard for him, kind of jumping into this thing during the preseason, and then being out for a little bit of a stretch,” Coach Day said back in late September.
Despite the relatively slow start due to the process of leaving high school early and an injury shortly after that, the former 5-star quarterback traveled with his teammates to New Jersey last weekend when the Buckeyes routed the Rutgers 52-13. This was the first time during the season that Ewers had been able to travel with his teammates.
The highly publicized Dragons alum, and the Southlake Carroll Dragons, will continue to progress through their respective seasons as they each encroach towards postseason play. The Dragons will next take on the V.R. Eaton Eagles on Oct. 22 after an idle week.
This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.
