ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum made headlines this week with bold predictions about Arch Manning’s upcoming season at Texas. Speaking on Get Up, Finebaum declared Manning the best college quarterback prospect since Tim Tebow in 2006.
“[I expect] the absolute roof. I think there’s a reasonably good chance that Arch Manning will be sitting on the front row in New York at the Heisman ceremony,” Finebaum said.
Manning enters 2025 as Texas’s starting quarterback after spending time behind Quinn Ewers. The redshirt sophomore showed flashes during limited action last season.
Finebaum’s Championship Predictions
Finebaum believes Texas will compete for both SEC and national titles this year. He credited head coach Steve Sarkisian, calling him “one of the best playcallers ever.”
The ESPN analyst also criticized Texas’s quarterback decisions during their playoff loss to Ohio State. He argued Sarkisian was “too loyal to Quinn Ewers” and suggested Manning should have started that game.
According to Finebaum, the Longhorns would’ve won with Manning under center.
His comparison puts Manning ahead of recent college football legends including Cam Newton, Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, and Johnny Manziel. All four won major college awards and became top NFL draft picks.
Doubling Down Despite Backlash
The comments sparked immediate criticism across social media and college football circles.
Finebaum didn’t retreat from his position. In follow-up remarks, he compared himself to a “battered New York Democratic candidate for mayor.”
“I rest my case. I’m not backing down,” Finebaum said. “I feel like the battered New York Democratic candidate for mayor who everybody has attacked — I don’t want anything to do with him by the way. I’m just making a point that I have been unfairly attacked, not only by you three, but by the entire country.”
Manning now faces enormous expectations entering his first season as a full-time starter. The nephew of NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning was the top quarterback recruit in his class.
Texas opens the 2025 season with championship aspirations and a new starting quarterback who’s already drawing historic comparisons.
