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Arch Manning, son of Cooper Manning and nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, has been busy with college visits as we near his ultimate decision. The five-star quarterback prospect is one of the most highly-anticipated prospects this year and any college program would be thrilled to land him in their recruiting class.
Reports state that Arch is making his third visit to the Texas Longhorns to meet with head coach Steve Sarkisian. While his father has shut down rumors that his decision is only between Texas and Alabama, the 2023 No. 1 recruit seems to have narrowed his list to his top five or six programs. As he wraps up his junior year at Isidore Newman High School in New Orleans, here are five college football programs likely to land Manning.
#1 - Texas, obviously, seems to be a front-runner for Manning
The Texas Longhorns seem to be high on Arch's shortlist as he starts planning his third trip to the school. The Longhorns went 5-7 in 2021 in Sarkisian's first year with them. Quarterback Casey Thompson was the starter last season but is no longer with the Longhorns. Texas would love to land the top recruit from the 2023 class, but Manning's arrival could cause some tension in the quarterback room.
Quarterback Quinn Ewers, a transfer from Ohio State University, was viewed as the top recruit from 2021 and is projected to be the starter for 2022. If Ewers is successful in the 2022 season, would Arch Manning want to come in and sit a season behind him until he possibly declares for the NFL Draft? The reason Manning keeps visiting Texas could be to make sure he loves the program enough to possibly sit for a year.
#2 - Alabama is inticing to any recruit
The Alabama Crimson Tide seem to be the New England Patriots from the 2010s: everyone wants to end up there to elevate their status and win a championship. Head coach Nick Saban has a knack for developing college quarterbacks, with junior Bryce Young being his latest project.
Young is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, leaving the starting job open should Manning want to take it over. He will likely have a strong supporting cast around him over the next three years and a great chance to play in at least one national championship game.
Alabama was once viewed as a front-runner for Arch Manning and seems to still be in the hunt.
#3 - Manning could stay in Louisiana and play for LSU
Arch Manning could still go the route of staying home and being the hometown hero for the LSU Tigers. The LSU Tiger Stadium is just under two hours west of Isidore Newman, where he currently plays, and he would surely have the biggest fanbase at LSU.
2022 will be the first season under head coach Brian Kelly after the Tigers went 6-7 under Ed Orgeron. The Tigers haven't had a superstar quarterback to get them back in the championship chase since Joe Burrow, and Manning would be the perfect fit to put the program back on the map.
The SEC is the most popular conference in college football and Arch Manning could make LSU a strong rival for Alabama once again. The only real question that remains is whether he is a fan of Brian Kelly as the head coach.
#4 - Arch Manning could follow uncle Eli through Ole Miss
The Manning family has strong ties to Ole Miss, as Eli played for the Rebels and recently had his jersey retired. However, Arch Manning wasn't even born until Eli became a rookie in the NFL and never saw his uncle play at Ole Miss.
Cooper, father, had committed to Ole Miss before being forced to retire. His grandfather Archie also played at Ole Miss and could be swayed to follow the family legacy to Mississippi. Head coach Lane Kiffin makes a strong case for Arch to pick the Rebels after going 10-3 in 2021. Quarterback Matt Corral is leaving for the NFL, and 2022 is a crucial season. If Kiffin's team falters with Corral, Arch could decide to play elsewhere for a stronger coach and program.
#5 - Georgia remains in the hunt
The Georgia Bulldogs could be put into the top-three on Arch's list, but they are third in that group. The Bulldogs had an amazing season in 2021, ending with defeating Alabama in the national championship game. Head coach Kirby Smart has a great recruiting history and would be able to build a strong roster around Manning.
But recent news from Athens may have thrown a wrench in their recruitment of Arch. Offensive line coach Matt Luke retired from his position to spend more time with his family and was also a key factor in bringing in Arch. Luke is a family friend and has strong ties to Arch and Cooper. It's unclear just how impactful Luke's retirement will be, but the Bulldogs seem like a long-shot to land Arch.
