LOOK: One SEC coach follows just one account on Instagram, five-star Arch Manning
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin is new to Instagram, and just last week he said in a caption that it’s “about time” for his first post. Evidently, it’s time for his first follow, too — but Kiffin decided to keep it at just one: five-star quarterback recruit Arch Manning.
Manning, the son of Cooper Manning, nephew of Eli and Peyton Manning and grandson of Archie Manning is On3’s No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2023. The five-star quarterback from Isidore Newman High School visited Georgia last weekend, and holds offers from Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss and Texas, among others.
While Peyton went to Tennessee, Eli and Archie went to Ole Miss, perhaps making Oxford a more appealing destination if Arch decides to follow in the footsteps of his family. Eli’s uniform No. 10 and Archie’s No. 18 are both retired by the Ole Miss Rebels, as Eli was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2003, and Archie was the SEC Player of the Year in 1969.
Manning has passed for over 4,000 yards in his first two high school seasons and 55 touchdowns. Isidore Newman’s schedule was derailed by Hurricane Ida, but the Greenies will be resuming play as soon as possible.
Listed at 6-foot-4 and over 200 pounds, Manning has enormous expectations surrounding him heading into his junior campaign, as he’s ranked No. 1 in his class but most every recruiting outlet.
“The scion of one of America’s top sporting families has already become one of the more well-known football recruits in the nation despite just entering the 11th grade,” On3 Sports’ director of scouting Charles Power said. “Despite the amount of external attention, Arch Manning has continued to show he’s deserving of the lofty status…He burst on the scene as with a big freshman season and showed continued physical progression last fall.”
Charles Power on Arch Manning
Power has raved about Arch for quite some time. He says that Arch’s release and throwing motion sets him apart, both in terms of accuracy and speed.
“Simply put, Arch Manning has one of the quickest and purest releases I’ve seen from a high school quarterback,” Powers wrote. “His throwing motion is concise with no moving parts. The ball consistently comes out quick. In-person, it’s almost easy to not notice the release unless you’re watching it explicitly.”
Powers also harped on Manning’s physical maturation, among other traits.
“Upon seeing Arch Manning in person this summer, I immediately took note of his size,” he wrote. “He’s over 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds — adding several inches and over 40 pounds since popping up on the recruiting radar a few years ago. There’s no question Manning is bigger in person than you’d expect.”