WATCH: Arch Manning throws four first-half touchdowns

New Orleans (La.) Isidore Newman quarterback Arch Manning was back in action Friday night, and he wasted no time getting on the scoreboard.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Manning threw two touchdowns on his team’s first three plays, and in total, tossed four touchdowns in just the first half.

IN HIS BAG! Arch Manning throws not one, not two, not three, but four first-half touchdown passes. On3 Profile: https://t.co/bvTEpHepKO pic.twitter.com/P3m5RJplXG

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) October 30, 2021

His mind-boggling performance only added to an impressive junior campaign he’s put together. Through six games, Manning has completed 63 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,327 yards, 17 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Through three seasons as a varsity starter at Newman, he’s amassed more than 5,600 passing yards and 72 touchdowns. He can do it on the ground, too. Manning is averaging 10.1 yards per carry on 28 rushes this season, and he’s scored four times.

Ranked as the No. 1 prospect in 2023 by the industry-generated On3 Consensus, Manning has his pick of colleges. But he’s narrowed his focus to Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Texas. He’s taken visits to all but Clemson so far this fall, and he’s set to see the Tigers in action this weekend.

Texas leading right now for Arch Manning

Although he hasn’t given much away publicly about his recruitment, Arch Manning has been very impressed by Texas and head coach Steve Sarkisian. The two have developed a great relationship, Manning told InsideTexas. It started during Sarkisian’s tenure as the offensive coordinator at Alabama and has only grown since then.

“(Sark) is a laid back guy, which I really like,” Manning said. “He’s not always pitching me. He just checks in and that’s one thing I like about him. When it is football, he’s a genius.”

And according to On3’s expert predictions, Texas is likely the team to beat. There is more than a year still to go until Manning could officially sign, and his recruitment is only going to heat up from here. His visits this fall will go a long way in shaping his final decision though, he told InsideTexas’ Justin Wells.

And while Texas has made lots of in-roads, both Georgia and Alabama look to be teams that can’t be counted out just yet. Manning played in front of Georgia head coach Kirby Smart last week and Steve Sarkisian the week before that. Head coach Nick Saban has pitched Manning on being part of college football’s most dominant program and playing alongside elite talent. Whether he and offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien can convince the latest Manning prodigy to come to Tuscaloosa remains to be seen, but the Crimson Tide will not go lightly.