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Former Georgia QB Offers Bleak Outlook On Arch Manning’s Potential At Texas

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jeremy Beren | Last updated May 20, 2025 2:00 PM ET

Arch Manning will take over as the starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns in 2025, an opportunity that will give fans a chance to see if the nephew of two Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks has really been worth the hype.

Manning backed up Quinn Ewers in 2024, but he offered glimpses of his dynamic potential when Ewers missed several games with an oblique injury. The 21-year-old has been touted as a favorite for the Heisman Trophy in 2025, and fans of NFL basement-dwellers are counting the days until their favorite team can draft him -- whether in 2026 or 2027.

But not everyone is sold on Manning, who has only 95 pass attempts under his belt in college football. Former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray has offered a strong take on Manning's future: that the Texas phenom may not be what he seems.

“If you are so good… why in the hell are you not playing above a 7th round QB?”@aaronmurray11 told @ESPNDari why he’s not as high on Texas QB Arch Manning as others.
#SECThisMorning pic.twitter.com/xpzXl2gG92
— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) May 16, 2025

Murray told Sirius XM Radio that if Manning were as good as advertised, he would have held on to the starting job when Ewers returned from his injury. Murray claimed that a roster as talent-laden as Texas' 2024 squad was being "held back" by Ewers -- an eventual seventh-round pick in the NFL Draft who apparently was still better than Manning.

“If you are so good and everyone has you projected number one pick in the NFL Draft, come 2026, why in the hell are you not playing above a seventh-round quarterback?" Murray asked. "If (head coach) Steve Sarkisian knows what he’s doing and he knows how good their roster is ... What was holding them back? Quinn Ewers. Why was Arch not playing? It’s like that rubs me the wrong way a little bit.”

While Murray did concede that Manning's 2024 tape "looked good at times," the 2025 season will be Manning's shot to erase all skepticism surrounding him. If he can contend for the Heisman and lead Texas to a first national championship since 2005, Manning will be able to ride the hype train directly to the NFL as soon as 2026.

"I’m not saying he can’t get there," Murray said of Manning's potential. "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."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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