Recruiting Expert: Arch Manning Is Overrated Due to Family Name

Arch Manning is widely viewed as the top player in the college football recruiting class of 2023, but one notable pundit doesn’t believe all the hype.

The nephew of Super Bowl champions Peyton and Eli Manning, a five-star quarterback at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, recently announced his commitment to Texas.

But Mike Farrell, the former national recruiting director of Rivals who describes himself as the “Godfather of Recruiting,” says Manning’s stock is greatly enhanced by the reputation of his famous family. In addition to Peyton and Eli, Arch’s father, Cooper, was an acclaimed high school prospect whose athletic career at Ole Miss was preempted by a spinal stenosis diagnosis. Grandfather Archie Manning enjoyed a productive professional career after being selected No. 2 in the 1971 NFL draft.

“If his name was Arch Smith, I think he’d probably be a high three-star quarterback,” Farrell said Tuesday on the Crain & Company podcast.

Arch Manning recorded 1,947 passing yards and 26 touchdown passes with just four interceptions last year as a junior. As a three-year starter, he has compiled a total of 6,307 passing yards and 81 touchdown passes with 18 interceptions. He also boasts 19 career rushing touchdowns.

But Manning struggled in a 49–7 playoff loss against powerhouse Lafayette Christian Academy, completing 7-of-16 passes for 44 yards with an interception. He did manage a rushing touchdown.

“He plays a very low level of competition,” Farrell said. “He hasn’t progressed. He had a really good freshman season. I wouldn’t say regression, but he hasn’t progressed. And when he has had to step up against other competition—especially in the playoff game, where he looked awful—it just hasn’t translated.”

Farrell went on to say that other 2023 quarterbacks are making strides with their work this summer at a time when Manning is keeping a relatively low profile.

“Every time I watch other quarterbacks in this class, it knocks Arch down in my head,” Farrell said. “And that’s not his fault. He’s not participating. He’s not competing. And this is all summer ball; it’s all routes [without a defender]. But every time I look at a Malachi Nelson or a Dante Moore or somebody else, I like them better. I’ve got Arch sliding into the sixth, fifth range in this class itself.”

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