Jordan Rodgers explains why he's suggesting fans pump the brakes on Arch Manning hype

Jordan Rodgers made waves at SEC Media Days when he called out the hype for Arch Manning. He believes the conversation surrounding the Texas quarterback has become a bit out of control.

In a controversial statement, Rodgers even ranked Manning as the No. 5-best quarterback in the SEC. He took some time to explain what he thinks about the Longhorns star during an appearance on Get Up on Wednesday, revealing his reasoning for cautioning fans and analysts alike against giving Manning too much love.

“I think the hype around Arch really revolves around the three games we saw him against UTSA, Louisiana-Monroe and Mississippi State. Three bad defenses. He had clean pockets and he absolutely shredded them,” Rodgers claimed. “He did look amazing, he did look like a future Heisman Trophy winner. I think he’s got to do a little bit better of a job this year operating under pressure.

“Now, that comes with any quarterback as they gain experience and as they get older. When we saw him last year against Georgia, he panicked a little bit under pressure. Rightfully so. That’s the only reason I say pump the brakes a little bit. He’s still a guy that needs to develop, get experience. We’re going to see Week 1 if he’s built for the task.”

Now, Rodgers wasn’t only talking about Manning’s shortcomings. The SEC Network analyst did offer up some positive insight into the quarterback’s game, revealing there are two things that give him confidence for the Texas star’s development.

“It’s two things, and two things that were actually Quinn Ewers‘ weaknesses last year,” Rodgers added. “The first is, he’s a great deep-ball thrower. He’s got incredible feel for throwing the deep-ball, whether it’s post routes down the middle of the field, or verticals down the sideline. He puts a ton of air on the ball, and as a receiver, you want to have time to adjust, but as a quarterback, when you put a lot of air on it, it’s tough to be accurate. He’s got a knack for being really accurate, hitting receivers in stride downfield consistently, something Ewers struggled with.

“The other thing is the legs, right? That’s not a Manning we’re used to seeing. He can run a 4.5 40, run away from defenders, create things when the pocket breaks down. That’s two things that will bode well for his development this year as the Texas starting quarterback.”

All told, Jordan Rodgers does make some good points, but it’ll be up to Arch Manning to prove his worth on the field. As the SEC Network host alluded to, it’ll all come to a head in Week 1, as Texas faces Ohio State to start their season on Aug. 30.