Joel Klatt Explains Ranking Arch Manning Among Top QBs In College Football

Although his in-game exposure has been limited so far, the bar is high for Arch Manning to succeed as a starter for the Longhorns this year.

Jan 1, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up before the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

With his first season as a starter fast approaching, chatter has increased around redshirt sophomore QB Arch Manning and how he will fare at the helm for the Texas Longhorns this upcoming season.

While opinions have varied, Fox Sports commentator and analyst Joel Klatt predicted on Monday that Manning will be the second-best QB in college football this upcoming season, behind only Clemson’s Cade Klubnik.

A bold prediction to make about a QB who has had just two starts in his collegiate career, Klatt has reasoning behind this No. 2 ranking.

Texas Longhorns quarterback, Arch Manning during his first practice of the spring season on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. | Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“He’s got a stronger arm than Quinn Ewers,” he said. “Quinn was experienced, there’s no doubt. Stark was loyal to Quinn, there’s no doubt. But, there’s a difference to the offense when Manning went in than when Quinn Ewers was in. This is not a knock. It becomes more dynamic. And the reason is because Arch puts more players in conflict on the field than what Quinn Ewers did.”

His arm strength is an obvious asset for the QB, but his ability to run puts safeties in conflict and has led Manning to draw comparisons to former Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence’s tenure at Clemson was characterized by exceptional arm strength and mobility, with his agility helping him both create throws and optimize his skills as a runner.

In the two starts he accumulated last season, Manning completed 41-60 pass attempts for 583 yards and four touchdowns. He threw just two interceptions, which could’ve resulted from a lack of SEC-level in-game experience. He also racked up 29 rushing yards and a touchdown.

According to Klatt and other experts, the glimpses of Manning viewers have seen so far make him a promising candidate for success as a starter. 

“You don’t think of him as an athletic dual-threat quarterback, and yet he is," Klatt said. "I know he’s not experienced, but I trust everything around him. Even if some of the players are going to be inexperienced around him, I trust the system around him. I trust his upbringing. I think Arch is going to be an absolute star.”