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Texas QB Arch Manning Shown Little Respect in College Football Player Rankings

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Alex Weber | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 1:36 PM ET

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is almost certainly the No. 1 discussion point and most recognizable name among this year's crop of college football players. But according to ESPN, that does not make him the projected best player in the country.

The Worldwide Leader published on Tuesday their annual list of the projected top 100 players in college football as Week 0 games inch closer to our television screens by the day. It's a hefty document, but if you started at No. 1, you'd have to scroll a little ways to find the Texas quarterback , and you'd scroll past several of his teammates as well.

All the way down at No. 23, you find Arch Manning — grandson of the great Archie Manning, nephew to 2000s legends Eli and Peyton Manning, starting QB for the No. 1 preseason team in the country, and also, the betting favorite to win the Heisman Trophy and an even bigger favorite to be selected No. 1 in the 2026 NFL Draft.

So, 23rd is tremendous territory for most, especially first-year starters at quarterback. But for Arch, given the facts stated above, it's hard to imagine a panel of experts slotting him below 22 other players and SIX other quarterbacks.

Allow them to explain.

"The wait is over," wrote Chris Low, who authored the short blurb on Manning from the ESPN piece. He believes that, after "situational" usage last season, the promised son is ready to deliver on a weekly basis.

The knock? Low notes that Manning registered just 95 passes through his first two seasons. This list is dominated by guys who have two things: elite talent PLUS experience. Manning simply lacks in the second category, but hey, a 23rd-place ranking is still a sizeable benefit of the doubt for a dude who's yet to rip 100 live throws.

Six Other Quarterbacks Beat Out Manning in ESPN Rankings

As mentioned, yes there were in fact six other quarterbacks that ESPN's team had pegged above Arch Manning heading into the 2025 college football season. You can see that list right here:

Look at that top grouping. You have four upperclassmen who all started and performed at a very high level for power conference schools in 2024, though Mateer is the only transfer and he came from Pac-12 club Washington State, who just produced last season's Heisman Trophy winner with another QB transfer in Cam Ward.

These are proven guys. Even the younger fellas right above Arch — you have Sellers who shined and led SC on the best season of Shane Beamer's young career as a true freshman last fall. Leavitt helped flip Arizona State from a predicted last-place finish in the Big 12 all the way to a College Football Playoff appearance.

That's a lot of resume for all of those, so it may make a little sense that ESPN gave them a slight advantage vs. the new starter.

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

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