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Heisman Candidate Arch Manning Opens Up About the Inspiration Derived from Following Bills QB Josh Allen

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Ishan Misra | Last updated Jul 8, 2025 8:46 AM ET

Arch Manning has a lot of people around him to seek advice on how to play the quarterback position even better than he already does. As his name indicates, Arch is related to a long line of former NFL quarterbacks.

The five-star recruit is the nephew of Super Bowl winners Peyton and Eli Manning and the grandson of former Saints QB Archie Manning. He has access to some of the most brilliant minds football fans have ever witnessed.

He takes occasional advantage, but there’s a stylistic difference between how Peyton and Eli played the game with Arch. The 21-year-old is a powerful runner and has a cannon for an arm. Does the style remind folks back home of someone they are familiar with?

That’s pretty much how Buffalo Bills star QB and the reigning league MVP, Josh Allen, plays football. Aside from Allen, young Manning also keeps tabs on another AFC quarterback.

I’m watching a lot of Josh Allen and Joe Burrow right now. Those are my guys. They’re dogs. I’ve watched some of their college film. They’re just good players, elite competitors, and fun to watch.
Arch Manning said at the recently concluded annual Manning Passing Academy camp

I asked Arch Manning who he models his game after, he named two pros…

"I'm watching a lot of Josh Allen and Joe Burrow right now. Those are my guys"

He went on to say he's been watching their tape from college recently @davideckert98 with the follow up question#HookEm |… pic.twitter.com/j1eGx0AvEJ
— Cory Mose (@Cory_Mose) June 27, 2025

There are clear similarities between Allen and Manning. Neither is as fast as 2x league MVP Lamar Jackson, but they have a knack for making powerful plays with their feet. Joe Burrow, on the other hand, is one of the best passers of the current generation who led the league with 40+ touchdowns in 2024.

Manning spent the first two seasons as a backup at the Texas Longhorns. However, when starter and Dolphins seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers did not play, Steve Sarkisian gave Manning the opportunity to show his skills, and he made the most of it. Manning had 13 overall touchdowns and a 67.8% completion rate from 10 appearances (two starts) last season as the Longhorns reached the college football playoffs, where they suffered defeat at the Cotton Bowl to eventual champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Arch Manning is favored to win the Heisman Trophy

The battle for the best football player in college last year was intense. Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward started out as the top two players to bag the coveted trophy. It did not take long for wildcards to dethrone the two quarterbacks.

Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty fought tooth and nail until the end. Colorado’s two-way star eventually got the nod ahead of the Boise State running back.

The Heisman race in 2025 seems straightforward, if anyone asks the betting experts in Vegas. DraftKings Sportsbook is confident that Texas’s Arch Manning will win the Heisman Trophy by a landslide. In fact, Bleacher Report revealed that 35 percent of the overall bets and 20 percent of the handle are going toward the Longhorns signal-caller.

Manning checks in with +650 odds, followed by LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier at +850, Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik at +950, and Penn State quarterback Drew Aller at +1,600. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, at +1,100, is the best-rated non-quarterback on the list.

Arch Manning’s Heisman campaign is already starting ‍ pic.twitter.com/HcHU9kgcfN
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) July 7, 2025

The 2025 campaign is shaping up to be another banger. If Manning performs to his strength, then there’s a high chance he might declare for the 2026 NFL draft.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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