If the hotness meter for quarterbacks moving into the 2025 season is 100, for the Texas Longhorns quarterback, Arch Manning, it’s double. First things first, he got to fill in the shoes of Quinn Ewers. Taking the starter’s role is something most quarterbacks will have to face, which puts Manning at the same level as everyone. But what makes his seat hotter is the fact that he is running with the Manning legacy flag.
His granddad, Archie, the second overall pick in the 1971 NFL Draft, has set some high expectations for his grandson. On being asked whether Arch is a “good guy” or not, Archie shared, “He’s really kind of a gym rat, so he likes to work out. He’s gotten bigger, stronger, maybe faster, I’m not sure. He got to play some, which was a plus for him. He got to get out there as a full-time starter, he did get experience, he learned things, he learned things in game, he can’t learn at practice. So, we are excited for Arch, hoping he is staying healthy.” But looks like Manning’s 2025 path won’t be a bed of roses.
When it comes to wooing Steve Sarkisian, the head coach already sees Manning as a “great leader” who does things in the right way. Then comes ESPN’s Paul Finebaum, who sees Manning as the “Heisman level” package. But this is just one side of the coin. The other side is still analysts who are in doubt about the 21-year-old QB’s 2025 run. And Kaylee Mansell from DawgNation finds herself in Team Arch Manning Doubters. On the July 26th episode of That SEC Podcast, the analyst was asked to share about her boldest take. She shared it with a disclaimer, “My boldest take, well, last year my bold take was that Billy Napier wasn’t going to be coaching by the time that Georgia and Florida played. So, maybe don’t trust me always with the bold take.” She then dropped the bomb, “My bold take is Arch Manning does not make the Heisman Trophy ceremony.”
Texas quarterback Arch Manning warms up before the start of the Peach Bowl against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday, January 1, 2025. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY ATL20250101305 MIKExZARRILLI
Now for the Longhorns fans, a thunder strike might be hitting them. Yes, the same old logic surrounds Manning losing his glam—the ‘unproven’ angle. Sarkisian’s quarterback completed 66.3% of his passes, racking up 969 yards and 9 touchdowns, in two seasons. An injury limited him to only 10 games last season. Appeared in season opener against Colorado State (8/31) completed five-of-six passes for 95 yards and a score, and accounted for two touchdowns on the day. The Texas quarterback with the million-dollar name is this year’s favorite with a consensus price of around +600 in the market. But that does not guarantee anything.
In that case, Manning and Georgia’s Gunner Stockton, Oklahoma’s John Mateer all are hanging by the same thread. Stockton finished the 2024 season with 45 completions for 440 yards, a touchdown and an interception in five games. On the other hand, Mateer, being at Washington State and not facing competition of SEC standards, led all FBS players with 29 touchdowns.
On that note, Mansell shared, “We’re looking at Arch like this and Gunner like this, when they virtually have the same amount of experience. So, I can’t just go out there and say that, ‘I mean, he’s a lock because we know why people are talking about him.’ And I hope that he goes out there and lives up to the expectation that everyone’s placed on him because even though he’s a Manning, like that’s a lot of pressure to deal with. So, they’ve got some tough games to play, tougher than last year, that’s for sure, with the way that their road schedule is. But I think there’s a lot of quarterbacks out there that we’re missing out on. So, I don’t think that Arch is a Heisman finalist.” Now, this looming doubt for Manning is not something new.
The great Arch Manning divide among college football analysts
Oklahoma Sooners insider George Stoia still does not buy the Manning hype. For instance, if given a chance, the analyst would award Mateer the Heisman if he could only choose between the Oklahoma quarterback and Manning. In a podcast, he shared, “Do you want somebody who’s a little bit more proven. Then you take John Mateer. I think his pairing with [Ben] Arbuckle makes a lot of sense. Or do you want the guy with tremendous upside, a guy that you know could be a number one pick in the NFL draft next year, obviously, the lineage that Arch Manning has. But could also his floor might be lower?”
ESPN analyst Chris Doering walked on the same path. And does not hold high expectations from Manning. On The Next Round Podcast, he shared, “I got into a little bit of trouble with some Texas fans the other day on the SEC Network. We did a ‘Start, Bench and Cut’ segment with DJ Lagway, Garrett Nussmeier and Arch Manning and I had Arch is the guy we’re cutting and it’s not because I don’t think he’s going to be great it’s because we’ve seen much more proven success on the field from DJ Lagway and Garrett Nussmeier.”
Right now, the Heisman narrative is dominated by the dark horses. Andy Staples has come up with a list. There is Notre Dame’s CJ Carr at +4500 odds. That’s the highest among quarterbacks, followed by Alabama Crimson Tide’s Ty Simpson and Ole Miss Rebels’ Austin Simmons at +4000 odds. Then there is Indiana Hoosiers’ Fernando Mendoza, a name who already robed Arch Manning’s sleep at +6600. Will the youngest Manning fall short in the Heisman race, outshined by an unexpected dark horse charging in from the shadows?
The post SEC Reporter Drops Boldest Arch Manning Take Yet appeared first on EssentiallySports.