Joel Klatt Shares an Honest Truth About Arch Manning

The 2025 campaign has been an up-and-down rodeo for Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning.

Manning has had four performances with less than 200 passing yards, two of them coming in his first three starts. But he has also had three games of over 300 passing yards, two of them coming in the past two games. Manning is now up to an 18-6 passing touchdown-to-interception ratio and has led the Longhorns to four straight Southeastern Conference wins, beginning with an emphatic victory over Red River rivals Oklahoma in Dallas.

Though Manning has seemingly taken a step forward in the starting role, FOX Sports analyst and former quarterback Joel Klatt foresees a long college career for Texas' game manager before he transitions to the NFL.

Klatt says Manning needs 20 more starts before going pro

"Arch was dreadful early in the year, and he's gotten better in the last couple of weeks," Klatt said in a Wednesday appearance on FOX Sports Radio's "The Herd."

Klatt called Manning a "decent to average college football quarterback" early on in his career. Among FBS quarterbacks, Manning currently ranks tied for 19th in passing touchdowns and 24th in passing yards.

With the good and bad flashes that he's displayed in his play through Texas' nine games, Klatt thinks that this should not only be Manning's first of multiple collegiate starting seasons, but not even his penultimate either.

"He's going to need at least 20 more starts to be even remotely ready for the National Football League," Klatt said.

Manning was the Longhorns' third-string in 2023, redshirting while sitting behind Quinn Ewers and Maalik Murphy in the depth chart. In 2024, he backed up Ewers and started in his place twice, versus UL Monroe and Mississippi State. But to Klatt, it doesn't matter whether it's your first year or third year at the collegiate level -- nothing can replicate the number of in-game starts.

"You can't replicate the position anywhere other than on the field live in games," Klatt said. "And so as he's starting to develop, as he's starting to start more games, you're starting to see him get a little bit better."

With at least three games left in the 2025 campaign, Manning will continue to gain a plethora of valuable reps and experience against top-level competition. Already going into Columbus and Gainesville, Manning will be tested in another hostile away environment on Nov. 15 against Georgia in Athens.

Klatt on premier NFL quarterbacks in college

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day talks to Joel Klatt of Fox Sports prior to the NCAA football game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Oct. 11, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Manning has 11 total starts so far in his collegiate career. Two more starting seasons following this one would get him to the total Klatt sees as needed before heading to the NFL.

As part of his argument, Klatt referenced the collegiate starting numbers for Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks.

"The average college career of all the guys that have won Super Bowls is around 30 to 34 starts in college football," Klatt said. "You have to have a deep level of experience before you get to the NFL."

That statistic includes Manning's uncles, Peyton and Eli, both of whom surpassed the total Klatt mentioned. Peyton made 45 starts over his four-year career at Tennessee. After redshirting his first year at Ole Miss, Eli started 39 games. Both earned plenty of recognition during their time in SEC programs and eventually became No. 1 overall picks in their respective NFL Drafts.

Taking into account his uncles' collegiate experience and ultimate success, it comes as no surprise that the expectation has been for Manning to take his time at the college level before turning professional.

And Klatt looks ahead to seeing his development.

"Just let Arch play a couple of years," he said.