When Texas Longhorns star quarterback Quinn Ewers went down with an injury last month, young star Arch Manning took over in his place. And it sounds like he left quite an impression on some coaches throughout the country.
Sam Khan Jr. and Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic recently spoke to a number of coaches and staffers throughout the country, granting them anonymity, and they certainly did not hold back in their analysis of the young quarterback.
One coach praised his athleticism.
“He’s just so big,” an FBS head coach told The Athletic. “He’s fast. He’s got a strong arm. And he’s got the bloodline.”
“He’s faster than I realized,” the coach added.
And he’s impressed coaches with his arm, as well.
“(He) throws a great deep ball,” said a Power 4 personnel director.
“When he’s in a clean pocket and has time to throw, he can put the ball just about anywhere he wants,” an SEC scouting director said.
Manning has spent the majority of his first two seasons with the Longhorns behind Ewers, but one coach seems to think that will ultimately benefit him.
“In the long run, it’ll be really good for him to sit for two years (behind) Ewers,” the Power 4 personnel director said. “He’ll be more ready to take over. I think sometimes we try to push these guys into starting roles, or they get greedy and feel like they have to play earlier. Him staying patient will pay off for both sides.”
Based on what he’s seen so far, one of the coaches thinks that Manning has the makings of a future top pick in the NFL Draft.
“Time will tell, but I imagine he’s going to be a first-round pick and the No. 1 player picked, if I had to bet,” the FBS head coach said.
We’ll have to see how Manning’s career plays out.
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