"Same people setting up Shedeur Sanders" - Jason Whitlock pushes conspiracy theory against Arch Manning after Texas QB's weak start vs. Ohio State

Jason Whitlock asserted a conspiracy on social media, drawing parallels between Shedeur Sanders and Arch Manning. Whitlock's tweet came after Texas quarterback Arch Manning’s shaky debut against No. 3 Ohio State. Whitlock alleged a “diabolical plot” targeting Manning.

"Looks like the same people setting up Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland have executed the same diabolical plot against Arch Manning. QBANON," Whitlock tweeted on Sunday.

Jason Whitlock

@WhitlockJason

Looks like the same people setting up Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland have executed the same diabolical plot against Arch Manning. QBANON

Manning’s first full-time start for Texas and Shedeur Sanders’ early NFL preseason with the Cleveland Browns have drawn similar scrutiny from fans and analysts. The quarterbacks have high expectations tied to their family names, given that Manning is the nephew of NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning, while Sanders is the son of Hall of Famer Deion “Prime Time” Sanders.

Manning struggled in the Longhorns’ season-opening 14-7 loss to Ohio State. He finished 17-of-30 for 170 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He managed just 26 yards in the first half. While Texas was able to make a late push, Ohio State’s coverage and physical defense left Manning out of rhythm for most of the night.

On the other hand, Sanders was impressive in his preseason debut, going 14-of-23 for 138 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers. However, later outings weren't so impressive. He was sacked five times and fumbled against the Rams.

Akili Smith on what is holding back Shedeur Sanders

The Browns set their quarterback depth chart for Week 1, with rookie Shedeur Sanders listed as the third-string quarterback behind Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel. The move follows the trade of Kenny Pickett to the Raiders.

Former NFL quarterback Akili Smith offered a blunt assessment of why Sanders is buried on the depth chart.

“If you break down the tape … you’ll see that Dillon Gabriel is ahead of Shedeur,” Smith said. “Shedeur took a sack in the last preseason game… it was ridiculous. He either had to step up in the pocket or get rid of the ball.”

Sanders struggled in the preseason finale against the Rams, where he was sacked five times and went 3-of-6 for 14 yards, while Gabriel threw for 129 yards and a touchdown.

Smith pointed out that these problems trace back to college, where Sanders was sacked 94 times over two seasons.