newsweek
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is facing mounting scrutiny over his NFL potential, with an anonymous NFL scouting director reportedly drawing a comparison between Manning and current New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston, per On3's Pete Nakos. The comparison to Winston, the No. 1 overall pick in 2015 who has struggled with turnovers throughout his career, adds to the skepticism surrounding Manning's readiness for the professional ranks.
Manning, 22, entered the past two seasons with significant Heisman Trophy expectations and was projected as a top-three draft pick. However, his performances have exposed potential weaknesses in his skill set, causing many sports personalities and analysts to suggest he should stay at Texas for another season before departing for the NFL.
Last week, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. unveiled his current top 25 players on the big board, with Manning at No. 24 and several of his Longhorns teammates ranked above him. Multiple quarterbacks also appear on Kiper's list ahead of Manning, including Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker at No. 2, Miami's Darian Mensah at No. 4, and Ole Miss's Trinidad Chambliss at No. 6.
Winston, unlike Manning, won the Heisman Trophy in 2013 and a BCS National Championship while at Florida State. However, he never quite lived up to the hype surrounding him when he was drafted. His best record as Tampa Bay's starter came in 2016, when the Buccaneers finished 9-7. He infamously threw for a career-high 5,109 passing yards and 33 touchdowns in 2019, but also had 30 interceptions that season. His turnover struggles have made him a frequent target for criticism and jokes among NFL analysts and fans.
More recently, Winston was called upon as the Giants' backup when starter Jaxson Dart suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2. However, Winston has continued to struggle, with the Giants acquiring JJ McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings as another option while Dart is out.
Meanwhile, Manning has led Texas to a 4-2 record, including a fourth-quarter comeback win over then-No. 1 Ohio State earlier this season. He's tallied 1,295 passing yards and 11 touchdowns while throwing five interceptions. While he's shown glimpses of impressive plays and skills, his track record hasn't seemed solid enough to prove he's worth the top pick in the NFL Draft.
In Kiper's ESPN article earlier this month, he pointed out that Manning has "size, mobility, and arm strength" that NFL teams will look for in a top 25 prospect, but is "too inconsistent" and doesn't seem to see the field as well as other college quarterbacks. Kiper ranked Manning as his QB6 among the top 25 prospects, suggesting several other quarterbacks are currently viewed as stronger prospects for NFL teams.
Key Analysis
The comparison to Winston underscores concerns about Manning's decision-making and consistency, which are critical traits for a franchise quarterback. While Manning possesses the physical tools that NFL teams covet, his inconsistency and the presence of other highly-ranked quarterbacks in the draft class could cause his stock to slip further if he doesn't show improvement. The upcoming game against Ole Miss provides another opportunity for Manning to demonstrate growth and potentially silence some of the doubters.
Manning and Texas are in action on Saturday, Oct. 24, when they face the Ole Miss Rebels at home, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Originally reported by newsweek.