For a quarterback shouldering the weight of the Manning family legacy, the advice from two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning is surprisingly simple: go make some mistakes. After Arch made an epic comeback in the unsteady 2025 season, Eli doesn’t doubt his potential. Still, he would like him to treat setbacks as part of the learning curve.

“I’m excited for him. You know why, Coach? Because I saw him get better every single week,” Manning said of Arch on Jon Gruden’s YouTube channel. “And that’s what college is about. It’s about learning. It’s not always going to be easy. You’ve got to make the mistakes…go through tough times. And that’s what makes you better…appreciate the wins and the hard work. I’ve got to grind every week because I know if I don’t, I can go out there and embarrass myself and play badly. And so you learn you don’t want to do that. And you work your tail off.”

Eli’s response came when asked about Arch’s development at Texas. Gruden highlighted the young QB’s ability to run and dunk, and even said that he took after his grandad, Archie Manning. In response, the former Giants QB agreed, saying that talent “skips a generation.” He also believes that Arch’s teammates sticking by him when Texas was struggling earlier shows he’s making progress behind the scenes.

This progress likely stems from his work behind the scenes, whether it’s putting in extra time in meetings, building trust in the locker room, or simply growing more confident in the system. In fact, Arch’s 150 rushing yards in a bowl game is a feat that even Eli has never achieved, further bolstering his faith in him. Arch’s three seasons at Texas have been of constant growth. While he stayed buried in the depth chart behind Quinn Ewers and Maalik Murphy in his rookie season, he had two starts the following year.

After a rocky start to the 2025 season that saw Texas drop games to Ohio State and Florida, Arch flipped the script in October. He galvanized the team, leading them to four wins in their final five games and putting up dominant numbers to finish the year with 3,163 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.

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He also added 399 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. With such a comeback, Eli knows just what the future holds for his family’s rising star.

Eli Manning weighed in on Arch’s future ahead of the 2026 season

Arch Manning sat out the 2026 NFL Draft to play for the Longhorns, signaling he still needs to accomplish at the college level. As he gears up for his fourth year with the team, experts are already eyeing him as one of the leading prospects for the 2027 Draft class. There have been several reports that support this prediction.

Recently, CBS Sports’ Cody Nagel ranked him as the best returning quarterback for the 2025 season. He highlighted Arch’s performance in the final five games, in which the signal caller scored fifteen touchdowns against four top-25 opponents. He pulled it off by committing a turnover. His late-season comeback reflects his reliability and has also sparked a bold prediction from his uncle.

“I’m excited for him,” Eli said. “I think he’s going to have a big year this year and has a bright future.”

Last year, he carried Texas with an upgraded supporting cast of wide receiver Cam Coleman, running backs Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers, along with a powerful O-line. With that level of talent around him, Arch is set up for another impressive year. College football analyst Kirk Herbstreit echoed that belief.

Herbstreit also noted that it would catch him off guard if Arch isn’t the top quarterback in his draft class when everything settles. Still, Eli Manning’s nephew’s steady growth at Texas suggests his ceiling remains high.