Maalik Murphy's decision will impact Texas quarterbacks Ewers and Manning, too — Bohls

The NCAA transfer portal opened on Monday and Texas' quarterbacks all have decisions to make.

Those start with redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy, Texas' backup who's being pursued hard by programs like Ohio State and UCLA, to name a couple.

Yes, starting quarterback Quinn Ewers has stuck to his guns and said publicly at least three times that he has made "no decision" about his future and that he wants to concentrate on "trying to win a national championship." Smart guy. Keeping his options open.

But if Ewers performs as brilliantly in the College Football Playoff as he did in the Big 12 Championship game win over Oklahoma State (35-of-46 for 452 yards and four touchdowns), who’s to say his NFL draft stock doesn’t rise proportionately and he’s rated a first-round possibility? He’d have to strongly consider turning pro as Vince Young did as a junior after the 2005 championship season.

I also expect wide receivers Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders to leave for the pros.

Clearly, any Ewers decision would affect Murphy, who I’m told is leaning toward leaving Texas after getting a taste of starting with two starts (both wins) this season against BYU and Kansas State despite mixed results (three touchdowns, three picks).

Murphy — who a source tells me was offered $2 million to transfer to Alabama last offseason — could command that or more, but if Ewers leaves, Murphy would be first in line to succeed him, even over crowd-favorite freshman Arch Manning. That, of course, could change in the spring.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas football is monitoring quarterbacks Ewers, Murphy and Manning