Scott Wachter Imagn Images
Jul 7, 2026 12:11 PM
Despite elite passing grades and dual-threat dominance, college football's most famous legacy finds himself trailing two rivals in a controversial evaluation of the nation's premier talent.
The Texas Longhorns are widely regarded as one of the best teams in college football as we approach the new season.
That is thanks largely to quarterback Arch Manning, who led the team to a Citrus Bowl win last season, and now, with another full offseason, looks every bit the top player we all expect him to be.
Seen as perhaps the best quarterback prospect entering the new season, Manning has it all in front of him to prove he can be "the" guy for the Longhorns.
Of course, his draft stock has the potential to skyrocket as well, or conversely, go down depending on what sort of season he has. But regardless, he is still seen as one of the best players in college football.
Or so we thought.
PFF has ranked its top 50 college players entering the new season, and it is here where it gets interesting.
Arch comes in at No. 9.
"Because Manning entered his first season as a starter as the Heisman Trophy favorite, many were quick to write him off after a slow start to the 2025 season," PFF wrote. "However, he was terrific during the second half of the year, ranking sixth among FBS quarterbacks in PFF passing grade (89.5) since Week 9. Manning’s 87.3 PFF passing grade for the season also ranked among the top 15 in the nation.
"He was much more of a dual-threat quarterback than either of his uncles, tying for fifth among Power Four quarterbacks in rushing touchdowns (10). Manning showed down the stretch that the immense hype surrounding him was based on more than just the name on the back of his jersey."
READ MORE: Texas Freshmen Deliver All-America Statement
Right, so No. 9 might not be that interesting.
But PFF has Manning as the third-best quarterback in this ranking.
Dante Moore of Oregon (No. 7), and Julian Sayin of Ohio State (No. 5) are ahead of him.
If Arch needed any more bulletin-board material ahead of what looks to be his final college season, he just got it.
Thought of by some draft experts as the potential No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, this ranking does feel a little odd.
Either way, Manning has a lot to prove in 2026, which now includes showing he's the best quarterback in college football.
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