05-11-2022, 05:50 PM
If Arch Manning wants to best position himself to win a national championship, to be surrounded by future NFL talent, and to join a readymade power, then the five-star quarterback prospect’s recruiting decision should be simple: Choose Alabama or Georgia.
If he wants to carve his own legacy, though, then the most attractive choice for the latest ballyhooed talent from the First Family of SEC Football would be to choose a lame-duck Big 12 school.
If Manning can bring Texas "back," that narrative would catapult what his grandfather Archie and uncles Peyton or Eli achieved during their standout careers in the SEC.
The tea leaves suggest the Longhorns are well-positioned in the Manning sweepstakes. On3.com lists Texas as the frontrunner for Manning’s commitment ahead of Georgia and Alabama, although the rising senior at Isidore Newman in New Orleans has said little publicly to distinguish Texas from those SEC powers.
There’s no wrong choice here.
Manning is the top-rated player in the 2023 recruiting class. No matter his college choice, he’s on a path that leads to the NFL.
At Alabama and Georgia, Manning would enter a robust program and tasked with continuing the success.
Once a dynasty known for defense and bruising tailbacks, Alabama quarterbacks are second to none nowadays. Alabama's Bryce Young is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and an early favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Alabama’s two previous quarterbacks, Mac Jones and Tua Tagovailoa, became first-round draft picks.
But Alabama is never about any one player, and Manning could have a great career and still not establish himself on a higher plane than Tagovailoa, Jones or Young.
Reigning national champion Georgia has emerged as a twin power within the SEC. Like Alabama, signing with the Bulldogs would ensure Manning would be surrounded by elite talent, although defense is the calling card of coach Kirby Smart's program.
Texas, meanwhile, is coming off a 5-7 season. The Longhorns have never reached the College Football Playoff, and they’ve had just two quarterbacks drafted since Vince Young became a first-round pick in 2006. Not since Young has a Texas offensive player been drafted in the first round.
What better way for Manning to escape the shadow of his grandfather and uncles than re-establishing Texas as a national power?
By Manning’s junior season, Texas will be in the SEC. When Texas A&M debuted in the SEC in 2012, Johnny Manziel ensured the Aggies a majestic arrival. Manning could have a similar effect for the Longhorns' SEC debut
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...714900002/
If he wants to carve his own legacy, though, then the most attractive choice for the latest ballyhooed talent from the First Family of SEC Football would be to choose a lame-duck Big 12 school.
If Manning can bring Texas "back," that narrative would catapult what his grandfather Archie and uncles Peyton or Eli achieved during their standout careers in the SEC.
The tea leaves suggest the Longhorns are well-positioned in the Manning sweepstakes. On3.com lists Texas as the frontrunner for Manning’s commitment ahead of Georgia and Alabama, although the rising senior at Isidore Newman in New Orleans has said little publicly to distinguish Texas from those SEC powers.
There’s no wrong choice here.
Manning is the top-rated player in the 2023 recruiting class. No matter his college choice, he’s on a path that leads to the NFL.
At Alabama and Georgia, Manning would enter a robust program and tasked with continuing the success.
Once a dynasty known for defense and bruising tailbacks, Alabama quarterbacks are second to none nowadays. Alabama's Bryce Young is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and an early favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Alabama’s two previous quarterbacks, Mac Jones and Tua Tagovailoa, became first-round draft picks.
But Alabama is never about any one player, and Manning could have a great career and still not establish himself on a higher plane than Tagovailoa, Jones or Young.
Reigning national champion Georgia has emerged as a twin power within the SEC. Like Alabama, signing with the Bulldogs would ensure Manning would be surrounded by elite talent, although defense is the calling card of coach Kirby Smart's program.
Texas, meanwhile, is coming off a 5-7 season. The Longhorns have never reached the College Football Playoff, and they’ve had just two quarterbacks drafted since Vince Young became a first-round pick in 2006. Not since Young has a Texas offensive player been drafted in the first round.
What better way for Manning to escape the shadow of his grandfather and uncles than re-establishing Texas as a national power?
By Manning’s junior season, Texas will be in the SEC. When Texas A&M debuted in the SEC in 2012, Johnny Manziel ensured the Aggies a majestic arrival. Manning could have a similar effect for the Longhorns' SEC debut
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...714900002/
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