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Ex-NFL star QB’s son eyeing Texas Longhorns to follow Arch Manning, Dia Bell

The Texas Longhorns are loaded at the quarterback position for years to come, and an NFL QB star's son might be the next in line.
Matthew Graham|
Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Texas Longhorns

Steve Sarkisian is building a dynasty at Texas, especially when it comes to the quarterback position.

After Quinn Ewers was drafted by the Miami Dolphins, disappointingly in the seventh round, the Texas Longhorns are now fully Arch Manning's team, with the pressure fully on the NIL superstar to deliver the natty in a national championship-or-bust season this fall.

RELATED: Dolphins QB Quinn Ewers gets insanely low NFL guaranteed money vs. $8M NIL offer

Arch Manning
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

Waiting in the wings will be Dia Bell, son of former NBA player Raja Bell, another five-star commit for Texas' 2026 recruiting class.

Dia Bell
Recruits Dia Bell and Byron Louis watch Ohio State warm up before playing Penn State Oct. 21, 2023 at Ohio Stadium. | Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

After that, it might be a continued line of famous offspring as San Diego Chargers legend Philip Rivers' son Gunner River has the Longhorns on his list, who had his first official visit in June.

Only a four-star recruit at this point from St. Michael Catholic out of Alabama, Sarkisian and his staff will have a say since they can pick and choose five-star studs, but according to Gunner, still only 15, he made quite a good impression.

"I talked to Coach Sark after the camp," Gunner told 247 Sports recently. "He told me I did pretty well, enjoyed it... "They're interested. "I'll say that."

The oldest boy of Rivers' ten children, yes ten, Gunner already has offers from Georgia, Miami, Auburn, Missouri, NC State, and South Carolina.

Philip Rivers, Patrick Mahomes
Denny Medley-Imagn Images

He's also overcome playing with type 1 diabetes, diagnosed at age 5, which has already made him a winner in his father's eyes.

"What we've learned through our experience is that these kids are warriors," Rivers, still only 43, told People magazine. "We have seen first hand the tremendous responsibility it is for these children to have the discipline to manage the disease with the support of family and their health providers to live their best lives."

Time will tell if his best life includes Austin, Texas.

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Matthew Graham
MATTHEW GRAHAM

Matthew Graham has over 20 years of media experience and oversees The Athlete Lifestyle On SI. He has had previous leadership roles at NBC Sports, Yahoo, and USA TODAY, where he co-founded For The Win (named Best Mobile Site by Digiday). He has also written for ESPN, Cosmopolitan, US Weekly, People, E! Online, and FHM, covering major sports and entertainment events like the Oscars, the Golden Globes, NBA Finals, Super Bowl, and winning the Yahoo Superstar Award for coverage of the Olympics.

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