Not even the most successful programs in college football are immune to the rampant tampering that has emerged as a byproduct of NIL rights and the NCAA transfer portal with a Tuesday report from On3’s Pete Nakos that an unnamed program was signing redshirt junior quarterback Quinn Ewers was offered $6 million by the Texas Longhorns instead of participating in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The report comes as the Longhorns prepare to face the Arizona State Sun Devils in the Peach Bowl on Wednesday in a bid to advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals, and despite a recent report from the Orangebloods’ Anwar Richardson that Ewers actually plans to to make the jump to the NFL this season.

Understandably, Ewers is hesitant to talk about his future, claiming that he has not had discussions with his family and advisors about entering the draft and is focused on advancing in the playoffs.

Since NIL and the portal formed a coalition that encouraged – if not encouraged – rampant manipulation around the sport, coaches have taken turns shining the spotlight on the issue.

Two years ago, UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor tried to use his public platform to stop programs from tampering with his players.

On Monday, it was UConn head coach Jim Mora.

Of course, these threats are made so publicly because they are so useless — the NCAA has no enforcement mechanisms to combat tampering, further evidence of the governing body’s increasing toothlessness as its long decline continues.

The insight into Ewers’ potential value on the open market also shows how much the landscape of college football has changed in recent years – not only that Ewers is more marketable as the face of college football than he was in the NFL would be, a $6 million offer would almost certainly be more than he would make at the next level.

Consider the NFL’s 2025 rookie salary scale, where only the top five draft picks are paid more than $6 million in their first season. Even if you make $6 million in the fourth and final season of a rookie contract, you’ll have to finish in the top 13 and wait a long time to reach that threshold.

Postseason feedback from the NFL Draft Advisory Board, based in part on how Ewers finishes the season, will influence his decision, along with the knowledge that college experience leads to NFL success at the quarterback position, one of the Decisive factors for Ewers’ return are the 2024 season.

Whatever the feedback, it is almost certain that Ewers will not make it into the top 13, let alone the top 5.

From a practical standpoint regarding the Longhorns, when the 2024 season ends, however it ends, Ewers’ Texas career will come to an end at the same time, as redshirt freshman Arch Manning has already waited longer than many observers thought likely to assume the QB1 role on the Forty Acres.

To put it simply: It’s the end of the day for Ewers and he doesn’t have to go home, but he can’t stay here.

As Manning’s eligibility clock continues to tick, Ewers will have to make a difficult decision: go to the NFL and make significantly less money, or leave the program he’s dreamed of all his life to continue playing at the college level with the potential to make money to earn that the latter decision could pit his new program against his old program in the College Football Playoff next year.