Miami Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel Believes Quinn Ewers Could Have 'Advantage' As Rookie

Texas Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers was selected by the Miami Dolphins in Round 7 of the 2025 NFL Draft last weekend, suffering an unanticipated slide down the board.

Ewers would end up being the final quarterback taken in the draft, leaving many to wonder if his NFL future holds.

But according to his new head coach Mike McDaniel, Ewers is a tremendous fit with the Dolphins and could have an advantage as a rookie heading into camp thanks to his pre-existing knowledge and experience with Miami's offensive scheme.

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel reacts during the second half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium | Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

"That is beneficial because you can evaluate a lot of nuances that you typically have to forecast," McDaniel said following the selection. "I think one of the things that gives him an advantage as a rookie, just getting started, is that overlap. I think the way that he orchestrates the offense from the motion timing and really anticipating things, there's a fit there, so we're excited to get him in the program and start working."

Ewers, of course, spent three seasons with Texas throwing for over 9,000 yards and 68 touchdowns, and finishing third in school history in both categories behind Colt McCoy and Sam Ehlinger.

And as McDaniel points out, he did so in an offense under Steve Sarkisian that is structured very similarly to what the Dolphins like to do. Whether it is the pre-snap motions, the timing, the route concepts, the protections, or anything in between, what Miami does is nearly identical to what Ewers has been doing with the Longhorns over the last three seasons.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers throws a pass during the College Football Playoff semifinal game against Ohio State | Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That said, that is not the only reason that the Dolphins were drawn to Ewers either. According to Miami GM Chris Grier, they were also impressed with what Sarkisian had to say about his intangibles, such as his toughness, leadership, and competitive drive.

“Mike [McDaniel] and I, we met him the year before at the Texas workout and we spent some time with him,” Grier said after the draft. “We talked to coach Sarkisian about him, and Sark really likes and was high, and was talking about him playing through the injuries this year, which affected his play a little bit. But he talked about his toughness, his mental toughness, pushing through with the injury, the expectations, all the pressure with [Arch] Manning there coming in. He loved his competitiveness, how he plays, and how his teammates respond to him... He was someone that we always had an eye on looking at, and the opportunity at that point in the draft, it just made sense for us."

Time will tell whether or not Ewers gets his chance to shine in Miami.

But given the injury history of Tua Tagovailoa, the track record of backup Zach Wilson, and the familiarity that Ewers has with the concepts of the Dolphins offense, he should at least have an opportunity to prove himself.