ARCH Manning has been given urgent advice about his football future.
The Texas Longhorns quarterback has been sitting behind Quinn Ewers for two seasons.
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning holds the ball as he warms up before the college football game against the Oklahoma Sooners on October 12[/caption]
Manning looks on before the October game[/caption]
The redshirt freshman Arch, who is also the nephew of NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning, is considered a top quarterback prospect.
The 19-year-old is eligible to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Arch has made a few appearances this season and has shown flashes of his talent.
Still, his status as a backup has not helped his NFL draft stock.
And after recent examples of inexperienced signal-callers who have struggled to transition to the NFL, among them Indianapolis Colts‘ Anthony Richardson, there has been talk in league circles for Manning and other college quarterbacks to take their time at the collegiate level and eventually transition to the NFL after two-plus college years.
“Scouts and agents are telling college QBs to not leave school until they have started two-plus years. The NFL doesn’t truly develop QBs anymore outside of rare exceptions,” ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller wrote on X.
The junior Ewers has kept his starting job for Texas despite pressure on head coach Steve Sarkisian to hand Manning the keys to the offense.
Manning made starts against Louisiana Monroe and Mississippi State in September in replacement of Ewers after he suffered an oblique injury.
During those two starts, he passed for four touchdown passes and ran for a score.
Arch also appeared in the Longhorns’ loss to the Georgia Bulldogs last month.
Ewers had struggled early in the game but returned in the second half.
There have been numerous amount of NFL quarterbacks who have had successful starts to their pro careers and also spent numerous seasons as a starter in college.
Among the examples are Houston Texans second-year star C.J. Stroud and Rookie of the Year candidate Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders.
Manning could be a top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft if he does well next season.
Manning scrambles in the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs on September 28[/caption]
Still, recent history suggests that it will be tough for Manning to become an NFL star after just one year as a college starting quarterback.
The former Florida Gators quarterback Richardson was benched last week for Joe Flacco after posting seven passing touchdowns against eight interceptions in 10 career starts.
The No. 5 Texas will face the Florida Gators this weekend.
Ewers is coming off a three-touchdown performance in the Longhorns’ 27-24 narrow victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores.
The Longhorns will hope to win their eighth win of the season.
