Anybody even remotely following college football knows about the hype around Arch Manning and his 2026 draft projections. They’re way too lofty for a guy who’s played just one proper season in college football. But it’s not entirely out of reach either for someone with Manning’s potential. Experts left and right have touted how great Manning stands to be in the draft. But now the legacy quarterback weighs upon those high expectations, and he shared what his goals are for the moment.
Hate him or love him, the Texas QB is going to put up a worthwhile show this season. But the draft, for the celebrity prospect, is not an important concern for now. He said in a June 27 video of On Texas football, “I really don’t pay much attention to anyone what they think besides my coaches, my parents, and some close friends that will tell me the truth. But I’m not worried what other people think. I’m just going to go out there, have fun, play my game.”
Those are wise words from a QB upon whose shoulders lie an overwhelming amount of expectations. He has 969 yards and some notable performances from last year. But the scale of hopes that fans have in him stands a chance of weighing him down. Manning has put blinders on his eyes as he approaches the season, focusing his attention on just football. He saw Texas as the best spot that gave him the chance to do that, breaking the family tradition of picking the Rebels.
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Texas at Texas A&M Nov 30, 2024 College Station, Texas, USA Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning warms up prior to the game against the Texas A&M Aggies. The Longhorns defeated the Aggies 17-7 at Kyle Field. College Station Kyle Field Texas USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xMariaxLysakerx 20241230_mcl_la6_058
In a conversation with On3’s Pete Nakos, he spoke about why Steve Sarkisian was the best for him. “Just his track record with quarterbacks, he came off a really good year in 2020 with Mac Jones at Alabama… I like him as a person. I liked Austin, liked Texas, so it was just the right fit. He’s hard on me sometimes, but I deserve it a lot of the time,” Manning said. Manning seems genuinely content with his choice. He’s waited here two years for his crown and is now eager to show what he brings to the sport this season as a starter.
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