What if Arch Manning is just really good? Or anywhere in between “the clear No. 1 pick in whichever draft he chooses to enter” and “the bust of busts?”
The Texas redshirt sophomore quarterback enters the 2025 season as college football’s most interesting person. Most talked about, most followed, most dissected, most hyped — soon to be most responsible for weekly overreaction, starting with the No. 1 Longhorns’ Aug. 30 opener at No. 3 Ohio State.
He’s a 21-year-old member of the first family of football, hoping to emulate his grandfather and uncles in greatness at the sport’s most important position. He has the traits. He has the preparation, both in terms of football mentors galore and an upbringing that limited distractions.
He seems to have the personality to handle the circus, which is good because he has a lot of analysts — including The Athletic’s Dane Brugler — projecting him as the NFL’s top prospect after this season.
That’s what the scouts think now, and it’s understandable. But a year ago, they were highest on Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, and he’s playing for the Miami Hurricanes this season. Some of them viewed Quinn Ewers, who started at Texas the past two seasons while Manning sat, as a first-round talent. Ewers ended up going in the seventh round to the Miami Dolphins.
