SOUTHLAKE, Texas - In our initial Rivals100 rankings for the Class of 2022, Ohio State commit Quinn Ewers debuted at No. 6 in the country.
In the two updates that have come out since then, however, Ewers has elevated to the top spot in our rankings, and will seemingly remain there for the foreseeable future.
On Thursday, BuckeyeGrove had an opportunity to see what makes Ewers the No. 1 overall junior across every major network. Ewers displayed fundamentally sound throwing mechanics, puts a zip on catchable footballs with tight spirals and, to put it simply, was just smooth during yesterday's throwing session.
Check out our video compilation of his throws above, as well as our scouting report of his skill set down below.
Our Assessment of Ewers
We first have to acknowledge that this throwing session did not involve passes in game-like situations and did not require the quarterbacks to put on pads. Also, there were no defensive backs on the wideouts, so this obviously leads to wide open windows when throwing to the intended targets.
With all of that said, however, it was clear to us why Ewers is deserving of the top spot in the rankings following his workout.
First of all, Ewers' footwork is absolutely tremendous. There was no rep in which he stumbled in the slightest or got out of his rhythm; his fundamentals are impeccable, and each throw looked exactly the same as it pertains to the movement of his feet.
The most noteworthy aspect of the video compilation above, for some, will be Ewers' release. He has the quickest release I have ever seen from a high school quarterback, and this does not come at the expense of his accuracy.
Ewers does not bring the ball back too much, has a perfect follow through at the end, and he puts everything together so fast that watching the video in slow motion is the only way to truly appreciate his mechanics.
Focusing specifically on his accuracy, Ewers was fantastic when it came to throwing the ball over the middle of the field, as well as launching it deep down the sidelines into the bucket of his wide receiver.
Sure, there were some missed throws here and there, but every quarterback at every level will have their inaccurate passes, even in this type of setting. What impressed me the most was how Ewers would bounce right back in the next rep and deliver a strike with a perfect spiral.
That's another thing I wanted to discuss: Ewers throws a very, very catchable football. Yes, the velocity he puts on it may be a little tough to deal with initially, but Ewers puts a tight spiral on his throws, and he always leads his receivers forward to make for an easy catch-and-run.
The only thing better than his skill set may be his mullet, which Ewers told me he plans on keeping when he moves to Columbus.
All jokes aside, Ewers has the height and weight you want from a starting quarterback, his technique is nearly flawless, the passes come at his receivers with velocity yet they remain very catchable, and his mobility, which we did not get to see yesterday, will put defenders on their heels even more.
Stay tuned to BuckeyeGrove.