WATCH: Ex-Georgia linebacker Thomas Davis recruits Arch Manning

The recruitment of Isidore (La.) Newman quarterback Arch Manning will arguably go down as the most public courting of any college player ever. Student sections at the colleges he visits chant his name. Photographers and recruiting reporters chronicle his every move. And national championship-winning coaches make their pitches to him through his uncles’ Monday Night Football broadcast on ESPN.

And now, former college and NFL players are making their pitches to the prodigal nephew for their respective schools.

Thomas Davis doing his part on the Arch Manning recruitment by hanging out with Cooper Manning pic.twitter.com/7zgmMa5wda

— 704 Dawg ➐ (@FSFRecruits) September 30, 2021

The latest is 16-year NFL veteran and former consensus Georgia All-American linebacker Thomas Davis. In a video posted on Twitter, Davis is walking around with a film crew and Arch Manning’s father, Cooper.

Davis says: “I’m hanging with the man, the myth and Arch’s dad. In case you guys don’t know. We gotta get Arch to Athens, man. That’s what we’re working on right now.”

Cooper ends the clip with an enthusiastic “Go Dawgs!”

Arch Manning is the real deal

His last name is what draws much of the attention, but the newest heir to the Manning quarterback throne backs up all the hype. Arch Manning is the No. 1 overall player in the 2023 On100 rankings, and he’s a top-two player in the class by every other recruiting site. He’s drawn plenty of recruiting interest from around the country, but the conversation has largely focused on a handful of schools: Texas, Ole Miss, Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, and LSU. Talk about a who’s who of college football programs.

Manning visited each of those schools unofficially over the summer, and he visited Georgia again Sept. 18. He’ll trip to Alabama this weekend to watch the Crimson Tide play host to Ole Miss. He’ll then visit Texas Oct. 16 before heading to Ole Miss and Clemson the following weeks.

Nick Saban makes his recruiting pitch

Whether they actually were or not, Nick Saban‘s comments on ESPN’s Monday Night Football ManningCast this past Monday were quickly pointed out by viewers as a subtle recruiting message to Arch Manning. While telling a story about ex-Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts, Saban told Arch’s uncles, Peyton and Eli: “As the quarterback, it’s really important that you have good players around you.”

Very few college quarterbacks have had more weapons at their disposal than Alabama’s, especially last season. Quarterback Mac Jones not only had Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith at receiver, but he had the country’s best running back, Najee Harris, in the backfield with him. And don’t forget about No. 6 overall pick Jaylen Waddle, likely the best of the bunch.

There’s no doubt Alabama will have talent at the receiver position for the next few years. but we’ll all be waiting to see if it’s a Manning in the backfield throwing the ball around the yard.