Arch Manning Scouting Report: Can the Potential QB1 in 2027 Fix His Footwork and Fulfill the Hype?

When you hear the name Manning, you immediately think football royalty. Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning became one of the most decorated signal callers in NFL history, winning championships with both the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos.

Not to be outdone, his younger brother, Eli Manning, led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl championships during his time in the Big Apple. Both uncles of University of Texas quarterback Arch Manning left big shoes to fill, but also a pathway to follow. The problem is the latest in the Manning quarterback lineage didn't want to follow in the footsteps of Peyton and Eli. Instead, Arch decided to take more after his grandfather, Archie Manning, former New Orleans Saints and Ole Miss great.

Archie Manning did a lot of damage with his feet while playing the position back before running quarterbacks were involved. So Arch Manning, the son of Archie Manning's oldest son, Cooper Manning (a former wide receiver), inherited his athleticism from his father and grandfather. So it's no surprise that the Longhorns' junior signal-caller is one of the most talked-about prospects in the past 20 years.

He has great mentors to look up to, all the resources in the world, and he has begun to show that he has the game to back up all of the hype he has received since entering college. If he's able to put the full package together this year, it will be the biggest feeding frenzy for a prospect that we've seen in quite some time.

Positive Traits

Dual-Threat Athleticism

Unlike his two famous uncles, who were more statuesque pocket passers, Arch has an ability to change the game with his legs as well. Cooper Manning was known as the most athletic of the Manning brothers, and he luckily passed that on to Arch, who reportedly runs anywhere between a high 4.5 and a 4.6 40-yard dash. Last season, he ran 92 times for 399 yards and 10 touchdowns.

His ability to be a weapon, especially in the red zone, allows the Longhorns to play 11-on-11 football. It makes the intermediate defenders have to pay more attention to him when he has the ball in the backfield, which allows his receivers to work and find areas where defenders are not looking. He also uses his athleticism to keep the chains moving, picking up critical first downs on scrambles or designed runs, and we've even seen him hit home runs when he takes off with the football.

One of the things that makes evaluators excited about his athleticism is using it to maneuver in the pocket and buy extra time to throw the ball downfield. As he continues to develop these skills and really manipulate defenses to his will, his star will just continue to rise.

Maturing Arm Talent

Some questioned Manning's arm strength when he first entered college, but throughout his first three seasons, we've seen his body mature. As his body has matured, so has his arm strength, unlocking another weapon for him to utilize. He has natural velocity when he throws the ball. It allows him to drive passes between defenders and into smaller windows. It has also allowed him to hold on to the ball longer than maybe he should at times, because he knows he has the ability to get the ball to his receiver quickly.

Manning seems to be aggressive by nature and definitely willing to take risks with the football. Earlier in his collegiate career he would put the ball in peril simply because his arm was not mature enough to make some of the throws he was attempting. His ability to push the ball to the opposite hash has improved because he can deliver the pass with more zip. He has also become more successful at driving the ball downfield because he does not have to put as much air on it as he used to. It makes him more dangerous to defend because defenders know that he is not afraid to cut it loose and has the weapon to execute.

Improved Read Progression and Processing

The beginning of 2025 was rough for Manning as he struggled to get comfortable with his reads. As the season progressed, he showed noticeable improvement in his ability to not only make quicker decisions, but to read through his full progression on a play. Part of that improvement came with trusting his athleticism and getting better at maneuvering around in the pocket.

Instead of looking at his first read and then bailing out of the pocket while he located his second and third reads, Manning began to look at his first read, then reset his feet to locate his second read, and then move around laterally or vertically within the pocket to his third and fourth options, if necessary. It gave him a better perspective on throws to make and also revealed times where he should just take off with the ball and run.

His improved patience and willingness to climb the pocket showed that he not only had the eagerness to improve, but the maturity to work on it and implement it into his game on the fly. That continued improvement will have NFL scouts salivating at the opportunity to get him in their organization.

Area of Improvement

Lower Body Mechanics

One of the places that Manning will look to show his biggest improvement is in his lower body mechanics: his footwork and how he uses his lower body to deliver the ball. Manning only completed 61.4% of his passes last season. That is mainly due to him missing on passes that should have been easy layups. That can be associated with him not getting his feet in the proper position to deliver the football and relying too much on his upper body to throw.

Cleaning up his footwork will make him a more efficient thrower of the ball. That's incredibly important when he is under pressure and either gets sped up because of the pressure bearing down on him, or because his internal clock tells him he's got to get rid of the football. It is also important when he's moving around in the pocket.

You can be certain that his offseason was full of drills focused on improving his lower half. It will be fun to watch and see how long it takes for it to become second nature for him in game situations.

Published Aug 30, 2026, 4:00 AM ETUpdated Aug 30, 2026, 9:11 AM ET