Texas Longhorns fans got a front-row seat to something special in 2025: the rapid maturation of quarterback Arch Manning. While it would have been Hollywood-perfect for him to dominate defending national champion Ohio State from day one, that was a tall order for any young QB.
Early in the season, the national narrative was all about "What's wrong with Arch Manning?" The answer was simple—he was still finding his footing. Manning had barely started games in two years, and his high school competition hadn't prepared him for the speed of college football.
Everything changed after the loss to Florida. Manning turned a corner, delivering a steady performance in the Red River Shootout win over Oklahoma. He gutted through a rough overtime win at Kentucky, then exploded for 346 passing yards in another OT thriller at Mississippi State. From there, he was unstoppable, throwing for over 300 yards in three of the final four regular-season games. The only exception? A gritty win over rival Texas A&M, where he used his legs for 53 rushing yards and a game-breaking touchdown.
The Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against Michigan was the exclamation point. Manning showed his full dual-threat arsenal, throwing for 221 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for an incredible 155 yards and two more scores. It felt like we were watching peak Manning emerge.
But even with all that progress, perfection is still a work in progress. Clark Dalton at Yardbarker identified the one area Manning must sharpen to lock in the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft—a spot many early mock drafts already have him occupying.
That area? Accuracy. Dalton notes that Manning has completed 311-of-499 passes (62.3 percent) across three seasons at Texas. While solid, that number needs to climb if he wants to be the top selection. For context, elite NFL prospects typically hover closer to 67-70 percent. The talent is undeniable, but the margin for error at the next level is razor-thin.
For Longhorns fans and anyone tracking the next great QB prospect, Manning's 2025 season was a masterclass in growth. Now the question is: can he turn that 62.3 percent into something truly elite?