Arch Manning has the name, the pedigree, and the expectations of an entire fanbase on his shoulders. But as we gear up for the 2025 college football season, not everyone is sold on the idea that he's destined for greatness—at least not yet.
Former Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray recently went public with his concerns about the Texas quarterback, and honestly, he’s not completely wrong for asking the tough questions.
On Sirius XM, Murray didn’t hold back when discussing the hype around Manning potentially being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Why in the h*** are you not playing above a seventh round pick?” Murray asked, referring to the fact that Manning sat behind Quinn Ewers last season.
Arch Manning might very well develop into a star. His raw talent is obvious, and the flashes we’ve seen in limited action—nearly 68% completion with nine touchdowns to just two interceptions—are certainly promising. But Murray’s criticism boils down to this: if you're really that guy, the one being compared to Peyton and Eli with an added dimension of mobility, shouldn't you have already beaten out Ewers for the job?
History tells us that elite quarterbacks don’t wait in line. They force their way onto the field. Trevor Lawrence took over for a quarterback in Kelly Bryant who had led Clemson to the College Football Playoff the year before. Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa battled in real time. Caleb Williams replaced a Heisman candidate midseason. Great quarterbacks don’t just sit and wait for their turn if the guy ahead of them is holding the team back.
And in this case, there’s an argument to be made that Ewers was doing just that. As Murray pointed out, Texas had one of the most stacked rosters in the country last season. Depending on who you ask, they were probably top-three in overall talent. Yet, they weren’t competing for a national title the way many thought they should have been. Why? Because their quarterback didn’t deliver consistently enough.
Murray makes it clear that he’s not rooting against Manning—far from it. “I want them all to have success,” he said. “But I need to see it first. I’m not going to crown you this All-American superstar.” That feels like a reasonable stance.
None of this means Arch Manning won’t live up to the hype. He has the tools. He’s got a quarterback-friendly coach in Steve Sarkisian. And he’s now the unquestioned starter heading into this season. But fair or not, the bar has been set incredibly high for him—and not by critics, but by the media and fans who’ve already penciled him in as a top NFL Draft pick.
There’s still time for Manning to prove everyone right. But let’s not act like questions about his rise—or lack thereof—are completely out of line. If Arch truly is that next generational quarterback, he now has the opportunity to show us. But until he does it on the field, doubts—like the ones Aaron Murray voiced—are going to linger.