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Joel Klatt Compares Arch Manning to Former No. 1 Overall Pick

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Jun 1, 2025 8:05 PM ET

Joel Klatt continued to set the bar high for Arch Manning entering the 2025 season.

After two seasons sitting behind Quinn Ewers, Manning will take center stage in Texas. The former five-star recruit enters his first season as a starting quarterback with hopes of competing for the Heisman Trophy and leading the Longhorns to a national title.

Klatt doesn't think those goals are far-fetched. The FOX broadcaster, who will call a massive Week 1 matchup between Texas and Ohio State, praised the quarterback during Thursday's appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd.

"I'm a big believer," Klatt said of Manning (h/t On3). "Maybe that's Kool-Aid drinking. I'm not sure, but when I watch him play, he threatens every blade of grass on the field with a really strong arm. And he's accurate and smart with it, and he's better throwing the ball down the field than even Quinn Ewers was."

When Manning replaced an injured Quinn Ewers early in 2024, Klatt saw a trait that reminded him of another former college superstar.

"Then all of a sudden, in those couple of starts that he got, he flashed this ability to run. I was like, 'Whoa. That looks like Trevor Lawrence.' So that's my comp to Arch. I think Arch is a lot of what we saw Trevor Lawrence become at Clemson."

Lawrence saw meaningful playing time far sooner than Manning. Also a heavily hyped recruit, Lawrence led the Tigers to the 2018 national championship by throwing 30 touchdowns to just four interceptions as a true freshman.

After registering 36 touchdowns in 2019, Lawrence finished second to DeVonta Smith in the 2020 Heisman Trophy voting with 3,153 passing yards in 10 games.

Lawrence also made havoc with his legs, accruing 563 rushing yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore and eight more rushing scores in his junior campaign. He entered the NFL as one of the most anticipated prospects in years when the Jacksonville Jaguars made him the No. 1 pick in 2021.

Although Lawrence has endured ups and downs in the NFL, he still represents a lofty comparison for Manning.

Klatt believes that Manning could also become a Heisman Trophy finalist if the Longhorns' offensive line holds up. As for following Lawrence's path to a title, the broadcaster called Texas a "bona fide top-end team" that should start the 2025 season ranked first or second.

Manning then must decide whether to also leave college after three years or return in 2026.

"He'll have a huge decision to make, whether he wants to come out and be a top-three pick in the NFL draft or if he wants to stay at Texas one more year and continue to develop," Klatt said. "So I'm pretty high on Arch, and I'm pretty high on Texas."

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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