Arch Manning receives criticism from NFL scout for being 'overwhelmed'

The training wheels are coming off for Arch Manning at Texas this year, and NFL scouts hope to see a better version of the promising quarterback.

Manning made two starts last season when Quinn Ewers suffered an injury in Week 2 against UTSA. Manning led the Longhorns to a 51-3 win over UL Monroe and a 35-13 victory over Mississippi State.

Still, the expected future first-round pick wasn't perfect, throwing four touchdown passes to two interceptions in those starts. When Ewers returned against Georgia, Texas used Manning as a runner sporadically for the rest of the season.

In an article published Aug. 15, ESPN quoted an AFC South scout who thinks Manning looked "overwhelmed" at times in 2024. They want to see improvement out of the quarterback before he thinks about jumping into the NFL.

"We're still talking about a guy who has two starts, right?" the scout said. "He's big, he has a strong arm and I love the flexibility in his throwing motion. And he can move much better than his uncles ever did. But he's very raw, and last year, the game was way too fast for him when he got in against Georgia and looked overwhelmed."

Manning's rawness is one of the reasons the league doesn't believe he'll leave Texas and declare for the 2026 draft. Manning needs the benefit of having two seasons of starts at the college level under his belt before he leads an NFL huddle. 

The game looked a little fast at times for Manning, especially when he was brought in to play the Bulldogs last October. He had a hard time gauging the speed of their defense, which led to an ugly fumble before the end of the first half.

Manning needs to become a master of the college game before he can earn the right to become a No. 1 pick.