Arch Manning made his debut as Texas’ full-time starter in a much-anticipated matchup against Ohio State. It did not go as well as Longhorns fans would have hoped.
How did Manning fare during the game, and could it impact how NFL decision-makers view him as a 2026 NFL Draft prospect? Here’s what to know about Manning’s first game of the 2025 college football season.
Grading Arch Manning’s performance against Ohio State
Manning entered Saturday’s game against Ohio State having made just two starts over his first two seasons at Texas. He looked the part of an inexperienced starter as Steve Sarkisian’s offense failed to consistently move the ball against Matt Patricia’s defense.
For most of the game, Manning didn’t look comfortable making downfield throws against Ohio State’s defense and was forced to throw a lot of checkdowns. Part of that was because the Buckeyes’ defensive backs were sticky in coverage throughout the day and didn’t offer much space to Texas’ weapons throughout the contest.
That said, when Manning had open receivers, he generally struggled to hit them in stride. His accuracy and ball placement were both spotty on passes thrown in the deep and intermediate parts of the field. That played a part in the interception he threw, which saw Jermaine Mathews Jr. undercut an underthrow pass from Manning to Ryan Wingo.
The good news for Texas fans? Manning showed some life as a downfield passer in the fourth quarter. He began the Longhorns’ lone touchdown drive by hitting Wingo with a 28-yard laser over the middle of the field on what may have been his best throw of the day.
Then came another well-delivered pass from Manning: a 32-yard strike to Parker Livingstone. The receiver managed to corral the throw for a controversial touchdown, as it appeared the ball may have hit the ground while Livingstone was going to the ground.
Though Manning looked good on that drive, his ensuing drive and comeback effort showed some of the struggles prevalent in the early stages of the game. He threw a dump-off pass behind a wide-open Wingo, who couldn’t reel it in, and then was nearly sacked on his final offensive play of the game before being forced to throw the ball short of the sticks.
So, while there may have been a silver lining in Manning’s debut, it was still a disappointing and below-average showing for the first-year starter.
Grade: D+
Arch Manning draft stock
It’s too early to say whether Manning’s draft stock will be significantly impacted by his 2025 debut against Ohio State.
While Manning had a less-than-stellar showing, NFL executives and decision-makers may be willing to write off some of his struggles. After all, Texas was playing on the road in a tough environment against the reigning national champion Ohio State; it was also Manning’s first start as the Longhorns’ full-time starter, and he showed growth through the critical stages of the game in the fourth quarter.
That said, Manning’s performance outlined one of the major concerns he has ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. He doesn’t have much experience playing at the college level. Sure, he got two starts in relief of Quinn Ewers during the 2024 college season, but he entered the 2025 campaign having attempted just 95 passes during his first two seasons at the school.
So, while one game won’t necessarily make talent evaluators shy away from Manning as a prospect, they will want to see him improve significantly as the season goes. If he can’t level his play, NFL teams might begin to view the redshirt sophomore as more of a 2027 prospect than one who will come off the board early in 2026.
That’s enough to earn Manning a slight stock down, though he has plenty of time to reverse that trend during the 2025 season.
Arch Manning stats vs. Ohio State
Below is a look at Manning’s full stats from his 2025 starting debut:
Completions/attempts: 17/30
Passing yards: 170
Passing TDs: 1
INTs: 1
Carries: 10
Rushing yards: 38
Rushing TDs: 0