Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up before a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Arch Manning Tops Another Quarterback List

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By Kevin Borba | Last updated Mar 5, 2026 8:00 AM ET

The Texas Longhorns finished the 2025 college football season with a 10-3 record, but were left wanting way more.

As they prepare for the 2026 season, they are doing so with a revamped roster centered around quarterback Arch Manning. The Longhorns brought in two of the portal's best running backs in Hollywood Smothers (NC State) and Raleek Brown (Arizona State), and also landed the No. 1 wide receiver in the portal, Cam Coleman.

However, the team's ceiling will undoubtedly be dictated by how good Manning can be. Luckily for Steve Sarkisian and company, he hit his stride late and is already garnering some significant buzz in the offseason.

Aprime example of this can be seen in a recent ranking by Mike Craven of Dave Campbell's Texas Football, who tabbed Manning as the best quarterback in the state, ranking him above Marcel Reed (Texas A&M), Brendan Sorsby (Texas Tech) and Conner Weigman (Houston).

Who are the Top 10 quarterbacks in Texas heading into the 2026 college football season?

Arch Manning, Kevin Jennings & Brendan Sorsby lead the way.

Breakdown from @CravenMike: https://t.co/pP6Ej9WqJn pic.twitter.com/2PNqhwBdhQ
— Dave Campbell's — TexasFootball.com (@dctf) March 2, 2026

"Maybe the media rushed his coronation heading into 2025, me included, but he seems like the obvious choice for the top quarterback in Texas and will be one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy and be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft alongside Oregon’s Dante Moore," wrote Craven. 'Texas also improved around him with a strong portal class that includes WR Cam Coleman, RBs Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers, and a pair of instant starters along the offensive line."

Manning finished his first season as the starter for the Longhorns with 3,163 yards passing with 26 touchdowns to just seven interceptions. He also was quite effective with his legs, rushing for 399 yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns on the ground.

Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

While Manning took a lot of the blame, having a better offensive line could very well be the cause of his going nuclear and living up to the lofty expectations people have for him. He was sacked 23 times this past season, and was frequently fighting through nagging ailments.

As he and the team prepare for the next season, Manning is currently recovering from a minor foot procedure that could see him limited during spring ball. Although it's not ideal for him to not be at 100%, his health is far more important than a few practices.

Manning and the Longhorns will open the 2026 college football season with a game against Texas State, before they host Ohio State in a game where they will look to avenge last year's Week 1 loss.

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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