ESPN forecasts Arch Manning's chances of playing in year one, potential options

Upon entering the 2023 offseason, many believed there would be a huge quarterback battle down in Austin, TX. The Texas Longhorns were able to recruit the number one recruit in the 2023 class, quarterback Arch Manning after bringing in the top recruit from the 2021 class via the transfer portal in Quinn Ewers. After the smoke settled in the spring, it’d be hard for anyone to make a case that Ewers would not be the Longhorns starting quarterback heading into next season.

With Ewers and Manning in the program, the Longhorns’ present and future look strong. But there is a third quarterback on the roster that is letting it be known that he’s just as capable as the two mentioned above. Quarterback Byron Murphy has put together an impressive spring at Texas. But what does that mean for the Longhorns quarterback room? More importantly, what does that mean for Manning’s chances to start now and in the future? Well, the team over at ESPN took some time recently to answer that question.

“Long-term outlook: Ewers said he wasn’t where he wanted to be last year, when he ranked 53rd nationally in QBR (64.3), but he will helm a reloaded Texas offense that has a strong supporting cast at wide receiver and tight end,” wrote ESPN’s Dave Wilson. “Sarkisian is enamored with Murphy’s arm strength and ability to make all the throws. He has a good problem, with three potential starting quarterbacks in his room, but it could prove to be a challenge to keep all of them in Austin.

“After redshirting in 2021 at Ohio State before transferring to Texas, Ewers could depart for the NFL with a strong season. The Mannings, meanwhile, knew the transition from a private school to Austin would not be an easy one, so the idea of a redshirt has never been out of the question, which is a luxury for both Manning and the Longhorns. ‘He’s on the right trajectory he should be on,’ Sarkisian told Dallas radio station 105.3 The Fan about Manning after spring practice. ‘He’s a true freshman in college. He really should still be in high school. He just finished his first semester on the Forty Acres, so there’s a definite transition there. … There’s a lot of room for him to grow this summer. Ultimately, it’s a great room that we have.’”

The Longhorns have a bounty of talent in their quarterback room, and at this current juncture, it is a great problem for them to have. But after the conclusion of the 2023 season, Texas will have several questions to answer about the position. First and foremost will be the decision of Ewers to stay in college another year or head to the pros. If Ewers decides to stay, the Longhorns quarterback room may be a little too crowded for the three of them, with one likely to enter the transfer portal in hopes of snagging a starting opportunity elsewhere.

As of now, those concerns are much farther up the road for the Longhorns and head coach Steve Sarkisian. For now, he and the Longhorn faithful can take solace in the fact that Texas has one of the best, if not the best, quarterback rooms in the country.