Arch Manning had the opportunity to follow his grandfather Archie and his uncle Eli to Ole Miss. He could have followed in the footsteps of his other uncle, Peyton, and played in Tennessee. He was given an open line to join the greatest college football dynasty of all time in Alabama. It could also have been related to the defenders of Georgia. Instead, Manning chose to write his own legacy.
With his first tweet, Arch Manning, the No. 1 quarterback in the 2023 promotion and possibly the highest-profile prospect in recruiting history, committed to Texas. Given his famous name and perfect recruitment score of 1,0000, Manning’s promise once again brings Burnt Orange to the forefront of the national stage.
This 1,0000 rating at 247Sports Composite is the most prestigious brand in recruitment. Only seven players, three of whom were quarterbacks, received that perfect score on the metric. The three quarterbacks – Vince Young, Quinn Ewers and now Manning – played or will play at the University of Texas. If Manning finally signs and Ewers stays, the “perfect” pair will be teammates on the Longhorns 2023 roster.
However, perhaps the most important thing for Manning is the timing. As a member of the 2023 class, he will almost certainly be the starting quarterback in Texas when the Longhorns enter the SEC, which is expected to happen by the 2025 season. If all goes well, Manning will have a chance to be a talent. transformer on the Johnny Manziel line at Texas A&M. This is something that neither Alabama nor Georgia could offer.
Of course, neither Ewers nor Manning have launched a collegiate pass. And of the previous five perfect recruits, four never won a national championship: Robert Nkemdiche, Jadeveon Clowney, Rashan Gary and Ernie Sims. None of them were quarterback, of course, and Young left Austin, Texas, as one of the most legendary signs in history.
With his famous name and a historic rating behind him, Manning will have those expectations from the start.
Texas is facing a critical recruitment time
With Manning on board, expect Texas recruitment to outperform, especially in attack. The Longhorns prioritize five-star wide receiver Johntay Cook II and four-star runner Cedric Baxter Jr. Manning High School teammate Will Randle is already on board as a three-star recruit.
Expect more high-profile players to commit as the process ends in the first signing period in December and on National Signing Day in February. The opportunity to play with Manning should be an unbeatable draw. Anything less than another recruiting class of the top five would be a big disappointment for Texas.
When Ewers, a former No. 1 recruit, retired from Texas on October 28, 2020 and later signed with Ohio State, he announced the end of Tom Herman’s era in Austin. (Ewers moved to Texas in December 2021.)
Barely 18 months later, Sarkisian has been successful where Herman failed. Sarkisian could have a similar difficulty keeping Manning on board, especially if the Horns don’t live up to expectations by 2022. However, if Manning arrives on campus, it will be a name that will change the game for Sarkisian and the long-term program.
List management will be key
Manning is expected to sign up before the 2023 season, likely in the spring. If the Texas quarterback room goes according to plan, that means the Longhorns could have up to five fellows on the roster ahead of the season.
Hudson Card is the only quarterback on the roster with initial experience. However, former No. 1 recruit Ewers, who moved from Ohio in December 2021, is one of the favorites to win the starting job in 2022 against Card, four-star signing Maalik Murphy and l ‘student Charles Wright. When the 2023 season arrives, Ewers will likely have a full season of incumbents by his side.
Manning is a special talent and should compete for the starting job right away. However, Ewers is a singular talent after achieving the first overall ranking and a rating of 0.9999. There is a strong possibility that Ewers will cling to the initial work ahead of 2023 on young Manning. However, Ewers would be eligible for the NFL Draft after a single season of overlap, paving the way for Manning to take over in 2024.
The tricky part is this: what if Manning beats Ewers for the starting job? Ewers would likely be stuck serving as a substitute in Texas or being a year in residence and possibly delaying his move to the NFL, as he has already used his one-year transfer exception. The only other option would be for him to receive an exemption to play immediately elsewhere, and while players have been more successful in asking for them recently, it’s not a sure thing.
If Ewers wins the quarterback job as expected in 2022, it probably means Card will enter the transfer portal at some point. Murphy and Wright could also consider leaving if Manning is next in line. The only downside to having a hypertalescent marshals room is trying to keep enough signal calls on the list in a virtual free market. With talents like Manning and Ewers, however, any coaching staff would take on these problems.
Where do the contenders go from here?
The two recent national championship winners, Georgia and Alabama, laid many eggs in Manning’s basket. Bama soon advanced to Manning’s commitment and turned to QB Eli Holstein, number 56, to lead his recruiting class. Crimson Tide has also signed five-star QB Ty Simpson and QB Jalen Milroe among the top 100 in the last two classes. Depth in position will be no problem.
The Bulldogs, meanwhile, have 12 deals in the quarterbacks, according to 247Sports, nine to signal people who are already engaged elsewhere. Georgia could prioritize new options, such as Dylan Lonergan, the top 100 local product, or rely on the depth it has built over the past three classes.
Ole Miss made perhaps a case as public as any to land the double legacy. Coach Lane Kiffin wore the Eli’s Giants jersey to remove it, and the Rebels painted “Manning” in the end zones of the day. Naturally, Arch was visiting this game. However, Ole Miss opted to take the three-star QB Marcel Reed, No. 431 general, from the Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville. The Rebels also continue the draw for Jaden Rashada, which will be settled on Sunday, June 26 live on CBS Sports HQ.