Arch Manning was one of the most hyped players the sport had seen in a few years before the 2025 college football season began; however, many fans and analysts were left unimpressed by how he performed.
While the Texas QB started the 2025 season slowly, he eventually found his rhythm and put on a show in the last few games.
The conversation about whether Manning will prove to be a good quarterback still looms this year; however, he did find himself at the 7th spot on “The Athletic’s” top 10 quarterbacks for the 2026 season.
Analyst Jason McCourty shared his thoughts on the list, calling it “goofy” and “awful.”
“This college football list is one of the goofiest things I’ve seen this summer. It is awful. And it obviously centers around Arch Manning.” McCourty said on “The Colin Cowherd Show” on Tuesday. “Now, before I give you the 2026 list, before I give it to you, I want just to turn back the clock a year and say, oh, The Athletic did this last year.
“Number one last year, before the season, was Cade Klubnik at Clemson. Okay? We know how that turned out. He’s now a Jet, so I’m not going to besmirch that name. Number two on the list was Garrett Nussmeier. I lost track of how many times he got benched at LSU: number three, LeNorris Sellers.”
“My pick to win the Natty as of right now is the Texas Longhorns. They are loaded. I think it’s a little silly to put Arch Manning seventh on a quarterback list.”
Paul Finebaum Weighs In on Arch Manning’s Potential Texas Comeback
Arch Manning was projected to go as the no. 1 draft pick in the 2026; however, he returned for the upcoming season, which will only be his second as Texas’s starting quarterback.
While most analysts believe Manning will declare for the 2027 NFL draft, Steve Sarkisian recently said there is a chance the Longhorns star returns to play at Texas in 2027.
Talking about the possibility of Manning making a potential comeback, Paul Finebaum said:
“I know a constitutional lawyer would argue there is precedent within the family. Peyton Manning could have been the No. 1 pick in the mid to late 90s. He came back. But I think it is almost impossible to believe that Arch is coming back. I think the odds I would put it at are infinitesimal… I think Arch Manning has done everything he can do. He’s been there forever. He’s got all the experience in the world.”
Finebaum added that while it’s true that Arch is earning a lot of money and is living a great life, he doesn’t believe a comeback for the 2027 season is in the books.
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