Texas quarterback Arch Manning has been considered a top future NFL Draft prospect basically since he was in middle school. As the grandson of Hall of Famer Archie Manning and the nephew of Peyton and Eli, the pressure on young Arch is immense.
He showed in his limited opportunities last season that the hype was warranted, but the jury is still out on whether or not he'll truly be a coveted prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft cycle. If the Ohio State game was the only chance he got to play in 2025, he might stay in school another year.
And reading some of the instant reactions, you'd think people were ready to bury Arch's NFL aspirations before Week 2 of the college season.
Critics come out in full force after Arch Manning's rough debut vs. Ohio State
Never mind the fact that Ohio State is likely going to put another boatload of players into the NFL next offseason. Never mind the fact that Arch was starting his first game of the season, on the road, in a brutally hostile environment.
Never mind the fact that Matt Patricia, who won a Super Bowl as Bill Belichick's defensive coordinator, was calling the defense against Manning.
Everybody just wants to make sure they get their opinions out there and let it be known that the hype for Arch was not justified. Some were comparing him to Bronny James, others said Peyton and Eli wouldn't want to claim him as part of the family with the way he was struggling. It wasn't pretty for hte majority of four quarters against the Buckeyes, but one game does not a season make.
And Manning's future NFL projection is also not based on one game.
We saw him late in the 4th quarter with an outstanding drive to get the Longhorns on the board, showing off his pocket poise and arm talent. The NFL evaluates traits, mental makeup, football IQ, and a lot more than just one game against arguably the best team in the country. A lot of star quarterbacks struggled against great defenses in college.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian didn't do Manning any favors by not getting him going with his legs early on in the game, an aspect of his game that is a major weapon. The idea that this game ruins his NFL projection is an asinine, knee-jerk reaction to something that will get evaluated as part of a giant puzzle.
To say that Manning won't be an NFL-caliber quarterback based on one game against Ohio State is unfair, and he deserves a chance to progress throughout the course of the season. This was a huge test for him, but only the first of many.