Why Isn’t Arch Manning Starting for Texas? Status of Longhorns QB | CPT PPP Coverage

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The Texas Longhorns signed Arch Manning in the 2023 recruitment cycle, but he’s behind Quinn Ewers on the Texas QB depth chart. Why isn’t Manning starting for the Longhorns, when should he be expected to take over, and what might he provide as a future NFL Draft prospect?

Why Isn’t Arch Manning Starting for the Texas Longhorns?

The Longhorns scored one of the biggest wins of the 2023 recruitment cycle when they secured Manning’s commitment.

Manning, who played high school football at Isidore Newman in New Orleans, Louisiana, was a five-star recruit and the No. 1 overall 2023 recruit on several boards. He’s a legacy prospect — the son of Cooper Manning and the nephew of Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning and two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning.

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Despite his high billing as a recruit, Manning hasn’t seen action for the Longhorns. The true freshman is behind both starter Ewers and backup Maalik Murphy. Ewers was a five-star recruit in his class, and Murphy was a high four-star in his.

With Ewers starting off with two interceptions in the first half against Oklahoma in the 2023 Red River Rivalry, many are wondering why Manning hasn’t been given a shot yet. But while the future is promising for Manning, he still needs development and acclimation, like any young player.

Manning’s Scouting Analysis From High School

Manning was a sound future investment for Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns, but it’s not his time yet. Even if Ewers struggles and gets benched, Manning likely won’t be the first replacement off the sideline.

Manning has most of the requisite physical talent. He’s a stellar athlete at 6’4?, 212 pounds, who made a living off of benefiting from his athleticism and creation capacity at the high school level. He also has good arm talent and velocity and can freely adjust his throw trajectory and arm angles.

But against heightened competition in high school, Manning struggled at times. Being a young QB, he’s still learning how to handle pressure — both direct and situational — and he can still further refine his mechanics as well.

In all likelihood, Manning plays sparingly in 2023. But if Ewers declares for the 2024 NFL Draft, Manning would presumably battle Murphy for the starting job in 2025. And if Manning wins the job and produces, he could be in play for a spot in the 2026 NFL Draft.

At this point, however, that’s way too far down the road to make any reliable projections. Manning has a lot of hype because of his legacy status, but a battle against Murphy wouldn’t be a walk in the park. Murphy was revered as a recruit for his own arm talent, strength, and downfield touch.

Manning will get his time. But right now, it’s too early for him — and he isn’t the heir apparent just yet, either. We’ll check back in two years.