Arch Manning is the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy next year, despite starting only two games in his entire career and spending two seasons as a backup to Quinn Ewers at the Texas Longhorns.
However, not everyone agrees with the bookies’ assessment. Some believe Manning is not even the best quarterback in the SEC. Aaron Rodgers’ brother and ESPN analyst, Jordan Rodgers, has voiced his disagreement. Speaking at the SEC media days, Jordan said (via ESPN College Football’s Instagram handle):
“I have him as the fifth, let me repeat that, the fifth-best quarterback in the SEC. The hype train is out of control, and what are we basing this on? We are basing this on games last year against UTSA, Louisiana-Monroe, and Mississippi State.”
“Look, I love Arch, I think he has a very high floor, but I don’t think he’s an elite talent when it comes to his arm, his arm ability, his ability to manipulate the pocket, to make guys miss, to change his arm angle,” he added.
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The sample size from Arch Manning is indeed too small to consider him a favorite for any major accolade, let alone the Heisman, or to declare him the best quarterback in the SEC. His NIL valuation of $6.8 million (as per On3) is the highest among college football players.
However, the numbers he posted in those three games last season are incredibly encouraging for the Longhorns, as his 87.5 QBR from 2024 reflects.
Dan Orlovsky on Arch Manning and the Title of the Best Quarterback in the Country
On Monday’s episode of the “Get Up” podcast, former player and ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky said if the Texas Longhorns want to be favorites for the upcoming season, Arch Manning would have to be the best signal-caller in the nation.
“[Arch Manning] absolutely has to be the best quarterback, because they are the favorite in Texas to win the national championship.”
While it might seem that Orlovsky is backing Manning as the best quarterback in the country, he soon proposed two other players as potential holders of the title — LaNorris Sellers of the South Carolina Gamecocks and Garrett Nussmeier of the LSU Tigers.
“Arch Manning is more than likely going to be awesome, but we don’t know about Arch Manning,” he added. “I’ve seen Nuss, late in games, 3rd-and-9, have to make a big throw and get it done. I watched the LaNorris Sellers finish with four straight wins for South Carolina in the SEC, and go for over 300 yards a game.”
Nonetheless, what seems clear from the statement is that fans can expect the best quarterback of the 2025 season to come from the SEC, and not the Big Ten or other conferences.
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