With the 2022 recruiting cycle now in the rearview mirror of college football, the class of 2023 is heating up, and one game in particular is getting a lot of attention. Arch ManningPayton and Eli’s nephew, Archie Manning’s grandson, is the No. 1 rookie in his class, and it’s no surprise that he’s a quarterback.
Unsurprisingly, his recruitment has been the most watched in years as he prepares to become the latest addition to one of football’s first families to play on the sport’s big stage. Although he has familial ties to Ole Miss and Tennessee, Arch casts a big net in his recruiting.Alabama, Georgia and Texas are considered favorites for 6-foot-4 signal callers who tell doug country “I really don’t know now” this month
“I narrowed it down a bit,” Manning said. “I don’t have a schedule or anything like that. I’m just focusing on spring football right now.”
Schools such as Clemson, Ole Miss, LSU, SMU and Virginia also participated in Manning’s hiring as he sought the perfect fit. With an early signing period that doesn’t come until December, there’s still plenty of time for rising high school students to make a choice. For this edition of Staff Picks, our authors explain which schools they think are the best fit for potential future stars.
Alabama red tide
Does Manning want to win a national championship? How about the Heisman Trophy? Does he want to prepare as much as possible for the NFL? Of course, Alabama is the place to do it.
Coach Nick Saban has developed his program into an offensive juggernaut based on a mid-sized village of super talented skilled players that will prepare them for the next level. Manning should know this by now and take advantage of an opportunity that few college football players have.
Former Tennessee coach Derek Dooley famously said that Alabama doesn’t recruit, it drafts…and it gets the first 25 picks. This is especially true for offensive players in this day and age. Saban called. Manning must respond with a commitment to the Crimson Tide. –Barrett Sally
Texas Longhorn
Regardless, Arch Manning appears to be an excellent quarterback recruit and a future star based on his immense talent. Ultimately, though, his ability on the court will prove secondary, and the impact of his commitment on the sport is secondary.
While both Alabama and Georgia would benefit greatly from adding a game-changing quarterback, few programs need to win the offseason like Texas. The Longhorns just finished a 5-7 season, but managed to win the game’s attention by acquiring Quinn Ewers from Ohio State. Texas is fighting back by making a splash in the offseason, and the involvement of the Manning family will be one of the biggest ever.
For Manning, joining a program with a legacy of success would be a safe decision. Going to a place where he could culturally change a project — like the Longhorns went to the SEC — gave Manning the chance to leave Austin and become a once-in-a-lifetime legend. If Manning goes to Austin, no doubt some of the country’s top talent will follow. – Sheikhan Jayaraj
The consensus at Arch Manning seems to be that he wants to create his own legacy — just as Uncle Payton chose to play his college football at Tennessee rather than follow in his father’s footsteps at Miss Ole. Can he do it in Alabama? certainly. Can he do it in Georgia? certainly. However, I believe — and it’s been a while now — that there is no better place for him to accomplish this task than the University of Texas.
What makes Texas attractive to me than anywhere else is the upcoming entry into the SEC. Texas is joining the most high-profile conference in all of college football, and as they enter the SEC fire pit, Manning would be perfect as the face of the Longhorns. I think Steve Sarkisian’s offense is a good fit for Manning’s skill set, and coaching Texas State to a successful SEC debut will cement Manning’s legacy among college football legends for years to come. — jack crosby
Georgia Bulldog
Arch Manning’s college choices boil down to two potential roles: He’ll either become the next in a string of quarterback greats, making a practical choice based on entering the college football playoffs and entering the 2025 NFL draft, or he’ll Be the savior and help elevate plans to heights that would not have been possible without him.
At schools like Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State, he would be the former. All four have had national success and plenty of elite quarterbacks in recent years — even if Manning doesn’t come, they’ll still have elite quarterback games. In places like Ole Miss, Texas, or Virginia, he’ll be a messiah and have the potential to be immortal, as his presence will change the ceiling on what these projects can accomplish in years to come.
In Georgia, he can have both experiences. He’ll be surrounded by elite talent that will help him reach the SEC Championship and CFP…but he could also be any player the Bulldogs have seen in over a decade. By the time Manning is draft-eligible in 2025, it could be 14 years before UGA sees a QB in the fifth round of the NFL draft. Manning can change that and spark enthusiasm for the project in a whole new way. He could be a Georgia legend — not just another face on the Alabama assembly line — while benefiting from all the perks of playing for an elite program. – David Cobb
Ole Miss Rebels
Let’s start with why this is appropriate: Well, hello Lane Kiffin! If you want to throw the ball in a pile, Kiffin is for you. Plus, the Rebels have no problem producing NFL-caliber wide receivers to catch the ball — maybe not like Alabama or Ohio State, but certainly respectable. And I don’t believe Manning can’t win a national title at Miss Ole. Kiffin has done a great job of moving to Oxford and NIL, and while still a little unknown to everyone, has changed the cusp of the team’s game greatness.
Now to my existential theory. A big part of Manning’s recruiting was that he was carrying the burden of one of college football’s most famous families while building his legacy. But here’s the thing: going to Ole Miss doesn’t prevent him from doing so. Yes, the link runs deep at Oxford, but it’s been 20 years since Eli last played for the Rebels. Since Arch has already received reports, I don’t think there will be more pressure there than in Tuscaloosa or Athens. – Ben Kechevar
