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Arch Manning
Arch Manning, the son of Cooper Manning and the nephew of Payton and Eli Manning has officially made his college decision. The no. 1 ranked player in the nation, regardless of position on the 247 Sports Composite has committed to Head Coach Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns.
Coming out of Isidore Newman High School in New Orleans, Louisianna, Arch stands at 6’4, 215-pounds. The 247 Sports Composite grades Manning as a 1.0/1.0, good for a perfect five-star rating. This makes Manning one of only a handful of players to ever receive a perfect grade from 247. The last player to receive a perfect grade is Manning’s future teammate, current Texas starting QB Quinn Ewers. This inevitably sets up what will be one of the most anticipated starting QB battles ever once Arch gets on campus.
The Decision
There were rumblings of an Arch Manning commitment to Texas after his teammate, three-star TE Will Randle committed to the Longhorns earlier this week. Going into making his decision it was thought to be a three-way battle between Texas, Alabama, and Georgia. Texas and Georgia were considered about even to land Mannings talents. I wouldn’t be surprised if taking a commitment from one of Mannings’s teammates was what pushed Texas over the finish line.
Coach Sarkisian has been tirelessly recruiting Arch for the last couple of years. He was the lead recruiter for him while serving as Alabama’s offensive coordinator. After leaving to become the head coach at Texas, Sark remained the lead recruiter for Manning. It was well documented that Manning and Sark have had a great relationship stemming back to Sark’s Alabama days. It was no surprise that Sark was able to leverage that relationship to get his foot in the door at Texas as well.
Given that the Mannings have traditionally been an SEC family, the Texas commitment makes sense. With Payton being a Tennessee alum and Eli, Archie, and Cooper being Ole Miss alums, it makes sense for Manning to pick a school that isn’t traditionally a rival of either program. Texas will be moving to the SEC in the coming year, so there is a chance that a rivalry develops, but for now, this seems like the move that could keep the entire family happy.
Film Evaluation
Given all the hype, it is worth asking what has Manning done on the field to warrant so much excitement? Could it be that his last name is what gives him his status as a top prospect. After evaluating his film, that is far from the case. If his name were Doug Smith and he had no famous relatives, I would still have him as the best overall prospect in the class of 2023. He is ranked no.1 because he is the best player in the class of 2023 and its not close.
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Manning has many characteristics similar to his uncles, specifically an elite arm, great pocket awareness, great accuracy, and the ability to read opposing defenses. Decision-making is elite, and he excels at completing passes in the mid-field and further down the field. One characteristic of his game that sets him apart from his family is his mobility. Manning is capable of scrambling for yardage and making accurate throws on the run. He is pretty quick for a QB, probably running somewhere in the 4.7-4.8 40-yard dash range.
In his high school career, Manning has 6,307 passing yards on a 65.7% completion rate with81 passing touchdowns. He also has 91 rush attempts for 742 yards and 19 rushing touchdowns. While I wouldn’t classify him as a dual-threat QB, his ability to gain medium yardage on his feet is a valuable asset to have.
Projections
I would project that Manning is capable of starting day 1 at Texas. Given the inevitable QB battle with Quinn Ewers, it is not guaranteed. Manning would almost certainly start as a true freshman for 99% of college programs. If he doesn’t start, it could be beneficial for him as it gives him time to add a bit of body mass before hitting the field. If not, from a skills standpoint he is ready to play. There is no doubt that he starts by his sophomore year once Quinn Ewers has left for the NFL draft.
Arch Manning displays elite potential as an NFL prospect. I fully expect Arch Manning to be one of, if not the top prospect in the NFL draft come 2026 or 2027. Assuming that Texas continues to fill out the class around Manning, this addition elevates Texas to a legit championship contender once Manning is on campus. This is a momentous win for head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Univeristy of Texas. I can’t help but to think, with Arch Manning now on board, Texas Football is officially back!
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