How Bright Is the Future for Arch Manning?

In case you haven't heard by now, the next starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns is a guy by the name of Arch Manning. He's pretty good.

Well, technically, nothing is official until head coach Steve Sarkisian turns in the first depth chart of the season, but come on, who else is going to start the season under center for the team in 2025?

All joking aside, the young star obviously comes from a Hall of Fame line of quarterbacks in his family tree. Grandfather Archie, uncles Peyton and Eli, but the producers for SEC Inside asked a question that might invoke more thought than some people believe:

"Can Manning Play?"

"Most Dynamic Quarterback We Have Seen in a Generation..."

In a trailer for the show SEC Inside: Looking For Answers, that question was asked to a number of college football analysts.

Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) is tackled by Clemson Tigers defensive tackle Payton Page (55) during the second half of the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Imagesn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Perhaps the answer that would get a lot of people's attention came from Paul Finebaum, the host and namesake of The Paul Finebaum Show, who has been very vocal about his support of Manning as the Longhorns' next big thing.

"Can Manning play? That's the easiest question I've ever been asked," the analyst said. "He is going to be the most dynamic quarterback that we have seen, perhaps in a generation."

For a "generation" that has also included quarterbacks such as Joe Burrow, Cam Newton, and Johnny Manziel, this is quite a high pedestal to put the young Manning on, considering he's only made two starts in the college setting.

But as No. 16 showed in those starts and his other appearances in relief of Quinn Ewers, the answer to that question is yes, he most certainly can play.

You can say it's a natural thing, you can say it's because of his last name, but the fact of the matter is that Steve Sarkisian has enough trust in the sophomore to lead his currently No. 1-ranked Texas team through another gruesome season in the toughest conference in college sports.

What more proof does one need than the confidence of a highly-touted head coach in his young star?

Former Georgia Bulldogs tight end Benjamin Watson, who was also asked the question, even went as far as to recall Manning's time as a high schooler in Louisiana.

"I've been watching this kid since he was in high school," the NFL veteran said. "I lived in New Orleans, he was at Newman High School, and I think that the hype is warranted."

The first test to see if that is true lies in the walls of Ohio Stadium in Columbus, where the Ohio State Buckeyes will begin their national championship defense by welcoming the Burnt Orange to start the season on August 30.