Arch Manning has been one of the most hyped quarterback prospects in years, but some of that is due to his last name and coming from an iconic football family. He will eventually be selected in the NFL Draft when he decides to come out of college, but his overall outlook has been questioned this year amid his relatively unimpressive season.
The Texas Longhorns quarterback has essentially failed to meet his massive expectations, though he has also shown plenty of signs that he is developing as a prospect. A recent report from “The Athletic” outlined what some NFL executives have been saying about him as the ‘bust’ narrative continues to grow.
Arch Manning Bust Narrative Addressed by NFL Executives
Many familiar with the Manning family, including four Super Bowl rings between Peyton and Eli, as well as their father Archie being an NFL quarterback, expected Arch to immediately dominate college football after being named the Longhorns’ starter. He is still just 21 years old and in his first full-time season, so the expectations may have been unreasonable.
Regardless of whether or not they were fair, he hasn’t quite lived up to the hype, with 24 total touchdowns in nine games this year and a 7-2 record. This has resulted in some already labeling him as a bust, but other anonymous executives gave their takes on the young prospect.
“Guys are allowed to get better as players. We judged him off his, what, first three games in college football and said he’s a bust? He’s been getting better,” said one.
“Shocker. A guy who had never started in major college football didn’t get off to a race-car start. It’s all still in front of him,” added another.
Manning is in his first year of eligibility to even declare for the NFL Draft, which demonstrates just how young he is in his development as a prospect. Simply having the desirable last name doesn’t automatically make him an elite quarterback. He currently ranks 58th among all collegiate quarterbacks in PFSN’s Impact Rankings for this season.
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It’s unclear if he is even planning on entering this year’s draft, but many rumors have suggested that he will stay in college for at least one more year. It will be interesting to see how he is ultimately analyzed as a draft prospect, as teams must weigh his name value against his overall production.
He still may be a great quarterback, but just being Manning apparently isn’t enough to skip the developmental process.
