High school football phenom Arch Manning took his last major summer visit this past week when he visited Ole Miss.
Aside from just being a five-star recruit, Arch is also the son of Cooper Manning and the nephew of Peyton and Eli. As a result, where he will eventually go to college has been a topic of particularly intense scrutiny.
There are three schools that have been mentioned as "serious" contenders for the youngster’s services.
That said, one school currently stands above all others.
“I think [Texas] hit a home run, I think they are squarely in the mix for Arch Manning,” Josh Pate on the Late Kick podcast.
“But eventually, they’re going to have to have something tangible. Because there’s going to be too much tangible result to be seen from Alabama and the likes of Clemson. Texas has got to get it done. They have to show you something in weeks one and two because if you are to come out of summer on this massive recruiting hype wave and then you start to show product on the field earlier than anyone expected, that starts a snowball effect. That’s how you really start to take off in recruiting even in year one under a new staff and that’s how incredible things can happen.”
Not everyone shares that opinion, though.
“If I had to take a shot right now and say where Arch Manning ends up I would pick Clemson first, Alabama second and then Texas third,” Adam Gorney of Rivals.com wrote.
“But that could definitely change over the course of the next two recruiting cycles and there’s no question the Longhorns rolled out the red carpet for Manning this past weekend and his trip and workout went well. The Mannings obviously know what they’re doing, though, and the Longhorns will need to show they can become a national power again before I see the 2023 five-star playing for them.”
Arch is a special talent, his insane genetics notwithstanding. Last year, he recorded 1,922 yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions on 146-for-219 passing while leading his school to a 9-1 record and Louisiana Division III state semifinal berth as a sophomore.
One season prior, in 2019, he recorded 2,438 yards, 34 touchdowns and six interceptions on 194-for-296 passing while leading his school to a 9-2 record and second-round playoff appearance in Louisiana’s Division III bracket.
Although Uncle Eli is obviously busy with his special new New York Giants gig, even he can’t ignore his nephew’s progress. A few weeks back, he revealed the simple bit of advice he offered the youngster.
“I’m not super-involved or giving too much advice,” Eli admitted, per the Lafayette Daily Advertiser. “I would just encourage him to focus on playing high school football.”
Which university will Arch ultimately land with when it’s all said and done? A definitive answer should emerge soon enough.
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