Ex-SEC football star casts doubt on Arch Manning ahead of Texas debut

Arch Manning is finally ready to step into the starting quarterback role at Texas this season, but one former SEC football star doesn’t yet see what all the fuss is about.

The former No. 1 overall recruit and scion of the Manning quarterback dynasty sat behind Quinn Ewers for two years, but is poised to take the reins as the Longhorns embark on what analysts and bookies project could be an SEC championship season.

Is he up to the task? Former Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray has his doubts.

“I’m not sold, like so many of the other people are, that this guy is going to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, that he’s going to just be unbelievable, that he’s going to be the next coming of Peyton and Eli, but that’s mobile,” Murray said on SiriusXM Radio.

“Texas had probably the second or third best roster in America. Why were they not competing for a national championship? Because Quinn was holding them back.”

Some might challenge the notion that Texas wasn’t competing for a national title, given it made the College Football Playoff semifinal round and was one Jack Sawyer-induced fumble away from potentially tying that game against Ohio State.

But Ewers wasn’t without his critics, some of whom felt vindicated when he slipped to the seventh round of the NFL Draft this spring.

And given how Ewers struggled, at least in Murray’s eyes, the idea that Arch Manning wasn’t playing ahead of him on the depth chart could be revealing.

“If you are so good and everyone has you projected No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft come 2026, why in the hell are you not playing above a seventh round quarterback?” he said.

“If Steve Sarkisian knows what he’s doing and he knows how good their roster is... what was holding them back? Ewers. Why was Arch not playing? That rubs me the wrong way a little bit.”

Last season, Manning threw for 939 yards while scoring 13 all-purpose touchdowns, throwing 2 interceptions, and hitting almost 68 percent of his throws.

That was in relief of the then-injured Ewers, giving Texas fans an early showcase of what Manning could look like when given total control of the offense.

“Yeah, it looks good at times. I wouldn’t say it looks incredible,” Murray said.

“It doesn’t scream first round talent to me off the back. And I’m not saying he can’t get there. And I’m never going to talk bad about a quarterback, because I know how difficult it is. I’m cheering for him like I cheer for every quarterback.

“But I need to see it first. I’m not going to crown you this All-American superstar.”

Manning’s first chance to prove his doubters wrong comes at Ohio State on Aug. 30.

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