Arch Manning is considered to be one of the top college football players heading into the 2026 college football season. The Texas Longhorns’ starting quarterback had a solid first year as the team’s starter, but is looking to take that next step in 2026. The Longhorns failed to reach the College Football Playoff in Manning’s first season as a starter, but this upcoming season is critical for his growth. Let’s take a closer look at what one ESPN personality said about the potential top pick in next year’s NFL Draft.
Arch Manning is considered a success story for how far he’s already gotten
Nov 1, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) pauses while warming up before a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
While speaking to On3, ESPN Senior Writer Seth Wickersham explained how he believes Arch Manning has already been a massive success story for the game of football.
“I don’t know what kind of quarterback he’s going to be this year. I don’t know what kind of quarterback he’ll be in the NFL, but he’s already, with all of that scrutiny and a lot of less things that come with that last name, I mean, you know, doors open for him that they don’t open for other guys, and you know. You can debate whether in the long term or short term that’ll make you a better player. But you know, look, by virtue of the fact that Arch Manning is already better than, you know, 98% of the people who have ever thrown a football, is a phenomenal success story.”
While he has been dominating, he was unable to live up to the preseason Heisman Trophy hype. A slow start in the team’s opening game against the Ohio State Buckeyes didn’t help either. However, Wickersham discussed how this year is pivotal for Manning’s success.
“Your second year as a starter is really important in college, I think that that’s where you really kind of separate yourself, and so … I’ll be as curious as anybody to see how he does this year.”
Manning had a strong redshirt sophomore season as his first season as the starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns. He completed 248 of 404 (61.4%) of his passes for 3,163 yards with 26 passing touchdowns to seven interceptions. He also ran 92 times for 399 yards (4.3 yards per carry) with 10 rushing touchdowns. However, his statistics were not enough to give the Longhorns a chance to compete in the College Football Playoff last season. It will be intriguing to see how much he is able to improve in 2026 for the Longhorns this year.