Arch Manning Commitment Sets New Standard at Texas
During the early signing period in December, Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian secured arguably the school's biggest quarterback signing since Vince Young when Ohio State transfer and former Southlake Carrol quarterback Quinn Ewers signed his letter of intent.
The addition of Ewers provided an elite player at the most important position on the field and gave Texas both recruiting momentum and a cornerstone to their 2022 class.
The magnetism of Ewers paid off quickly as well with the Longhorns securing signings from two of the top offensive linemen in 2022 in Kelvin Banks and Devon Campbell — both of whom are expected to make major impacts next season.
The Longhorns are reaping the benefits for good reason, as Ewers is one of the most talented quarterback prospects in the country. Possessing every physical and mental tool that Sarkisian could possibly want in a quarterback, he's the surest thing since perhaps Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa or Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence.
By the time Ewers arrived on campus, he was already thought by many to be the unquestioned signal-caller next season, though Hudson Card will not relinquish the job without a fight.
All that said, the pursuit of 2023 Isidore Newman (New Orleans) quarterback Arch Manning might have been even more critical to the future of the Longhorns program.
And Sark nailed it.
Ewers is without a doubt an elite prospect. He's one that is capable of taking Texas back to the precipice of the college football mountain top, and will likely be off to the NFL in just two years' time.
Manning, however, is an entirely different animal.
While Ewers undoubtedly creates star power, Manning could potentially bring something bigger.
In the behind-the-scenes words of some recruiting analysts, his signature could be LeBron James-like.
While it might seem hyperbolic on the surface, Manning's games at Isidore Newman are already set to be a mainstay on ESPN in the coming seasons.
“There’s a LeBron-like feeling about Arch Manning. LBJ’s high school games got national television exposure in the early 2000s,” Sports Illustrated's, Chris Mannix tweeted following one of Manning’s 2021 games. “Betting ESPN will give Manning — a sophomore — a lot of run on its networks, too. He looks like a special QB.”
More than that, however, the impact on the Longhorns, will almost instantly turn that program into the nation's premier destination for top-level recruits.
With the nephew of Super Bowl winners Peyton and Eli, comes star power, publicity, and excitement; an excitement that has not been seen around the 40 acres since the signing of Chris Simms in 1999.
There is always the possibility that Manning could suffer from the same pressure issues that Simms struggled with during his time in Austin.
That is less than likely though given Manning's unparalleled performance as the starter for Isidore Newman.
Last season, he completed 148 of 228 passes for 1,947 yards and 26 touchdowns to just four interceptions. He also ran 41 times for 381 yards and seven scores.
For his career, Manning has now totaled over 6,000 yards through the air, over 700 yards on the ground, and has scored 100 touchdowns -- all with one season remaining for the Greenies.
And now, the Texas Longhorns commit can look to improve those numbers even further, with the stresses of recruitment out of the way, and his college destination decided.
Manning's commitment to the Longhorns does come as a bit of a surprise given the SEC roots of his family.
However, thanks to a developing relationship with fellow 2023 recruits Rueben Owens II, Johntay Cook, and Anthony hill, Arch fits in seamlessly with the Horns' new class.
"I talked to Arch at the beginning for a little bit and saw him in the meeting rooms," Kelvin Banks told Orangebloods.com's Jason Suchomel. "It looked like he was already one of the UT guys. So I have a pretty good feeling about him."
The recruiting efforts of Sarkisian and quarterbacks coach AJ Milwee were also crucial as well, as Texas finds itself securing arguably the most important commitment in program history.
“I like (Milwee) a lot,” Manning told 247 Sports. “I can relate to him because he’s younger. It seems like we’re friends almost. I like him a lot. He’d be a cool guy to get to play for. Hopefully, he doesn’t get too many job offers and he stays there. He’s a good guy. I really like everyone I’ve met and have enjoyed building relationships and meeting different guys.”
Alongside the Longhorns, Manning was back and forth between a host of blue blood programs, including the likes of Alabama, LSU, Georgia, and Clemson, as well as his family legacy school, Ole Miss.
Arch's grandfather Archie, as well as his uncle Eli, both starred for Ole Miss, earning Heisman trophy nominations, while his uncle Peyton was a finalist for the award in 1997 with the Volunteers.
Both brothers went on the be the No. 1 pick of their respective draft class, and Arch could be next.
However, that familial connection was ultimately unimportant to the youngest Manning, with the idea of building something new a more appealing option.
That build has already begun on the 40 Acres, with Sarkisian securing a top-5 class in the 2022 cycle.
And though there are still plenty of names to secure, such as the aforementioned Owens and Cook, the Horns are well on their way to another one in 2023.
But either way, with the cornerstone in Manning now in the bag, Sarkisian has already secured his own LeBron-like savior.
Now, he just has to hold on to him until the Early Signing Period begins this December, and use that momentum to build the 40 Acres back into what it is expected to be.
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