Arch Manning has a lot of people he can turn to when seeking advice about the quarterback position. As he enters his first season as the full-time starter at the University of Texas, the former five-star recruit has mentioned that he stays very close with uncles Peyton and Eli and grandfather Archie.
This summer at the annual Manning Passing Academy camp - in which Arch and his relatives are volunteer counselors - the youngest Manning mentioned that he studies other star quarterbacks around the NFL to improve his game, too.
“I’m watching a lot of Josh Allen and Joe Burrow right now. Those are my guys,” Manning said. “They’re dogs. I’ve watched some of their college film. They’re just good players, elite competitors and fun to watch.”
Manning, unlike his uncles, profiles as a physical runner in along with his excellent arm talent. He can find a lot of inspiration from Allen in that regard.
The Buffalo Bills' star may not be the fastest QB in the league, but he always plays with his head down and isn't afraid to crash into would-be tackers in order to get extra yardage on the ground.
There are a lot of expectations on the young quarterback with three NFL greats coming from the Manning lineage, but Arch has seemed to approach this position with rare poise and maturity for his age and situation.
Manning redshirted his freshman season at Texas in 2023 and continued to sit behind eventual seventh-rounder Quinn Ewers last season. When Ewers was hurt during a non-conference stretch, Manning was able to play and show off some of that versatility.
His most memorable highlight came on a misdirection run where Arch found a lane and stepped on the gas to blow by the defense for a 67-yard touchdown against UTSA.
He also proved invaluable during Texas' regular season finale win over rival Texas A&M. Manning subbed in for a designed run where he showed great balance to stay in bounds and reach for the endzone for the first touchdown of the game.
Manning spoke about how he tries to emulate the way Allen can make plays with his legs, especially during broken plays where he has to scramble out of trouble.
“He’s just the ultimate football player. If something’s not there he’s going to make something happen and do whatever he can to make his team win,” Manning said.
In 2024, Allen was fifth among quarterbacks with 531 rushing yards and second in rushing touchdowns with 12. He has over 4,000 rushing yards and 65 touchdowns in his seven-year career in Buffalo.
Manning leads the Longhorns with more than just the weight of his family's name on his shoulders. He is expected to guide Texas to another deep run in the College Football Playoff after Ewers appeared in the last two CFP semifinals before entering the NFL Draft.
Whether it's in 2026 or 2027, Manning is expected to be one of the first quarterbacks taken in Round 1.
For now, he'll rely on the heroics of the MVP to help him improve his game in college before the two ultimately meet in the NFL one day.