Texas QB Arch Manning Gets Strong Reaction From NFL Champion

The latest NCAA football season brought great expectations for Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns. Still, through the first several games, many believe the star quarterback may not live up to the massive hype surrounding him.

The stage was set for this to be his breakout season as a starter, since he is the grandson of Archie Manning and nephew of Super Bowl-winning legends Eli and Peyton Manning.

A season-opening game against the Ohio State Buckeyes immediately put a spotlight on Arch’s mistakes, as he tried to lead his team to a victory against a top-tier opponent.

The Buckeyes, currently ranked third overall, hosted the game and won 14-7. Arch threw 17-of-30 completions for 170 yards and a touchdown, but also threw an interception and was sacked in the early loss.

Read more: Ohio State Legend Calls Out Hype Over Texas QB Arch Manning

That first loss seemingly took the Longhorns out of the early discussion of top contenders to win the College Football Playoff National Championship for many people. It also dropped them from the top spot in sportsbook odds, with multiple teams ahead of them, including Ohio State.

The Longhorns and their starting quarterback overcame that disappointing early loss to record two consecutive wins. While both featured another interception thrown by Arch, he also recorded 295 yards of passing with four touchdown passes and a rushing TD against San Jose State.

The 2-1 record has kept them at No. 8 in the AP Top 25 and still relevant for a potential College Football Playoffs spot later, but Arch’s struggles are still under constant scrutiny.

Former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl winner Chase Daniel spent 13 years in the league with multiple teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints. Daniel recently met Arch in person and shared a very positive endorsement.

“He has the makeup of a future #1 overall pick. Much bigger than I thought & just looks like an imposing, big NFL QB,” Daniel wrote on X.

Daniel’s high praise of the Texas QB suggests he’ll be the top pick, but that may not be for the 2026 NFL Draft.

While it’s early in the college season, an ESPN poll given to 25 NFL scouts and executives suggested that the majority consider South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier as college’s top quarterbacks, with only one individual naming Arch Manning.

Anything is possible, since the season is young. However, most expect that Arch will remain with the Longhorns for next season, given that he has two more years of eligibility remaining after this season to develop his skills.

Read more: Michael Strahan Has Strong Response to Bill Belichick’s Debut Loss

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