'All About the Potential': SI Recruiting Expert on What Arch Manning Sees in Longhorns

The race for Arch Manning is entering its final stretch, and Sports Illustrated's John Garcia breaks down the details.

The Texas Longhorns remain in the thick of the race for the nation's most coveted quarterback prospect, Arch Manning. 

And some would say, the Longhorns are in fact the team to beat for his signature, with Alabama and Georgia following closely behind. 

For now, however, its anyone's guess, as the reports of Manning's perceived preferences seem to change weekly. 

However, in a recent mailbag article for SI.com, Sports Illustrated nation recruiting analyst John Garcia gave football fans an entirely new perspective, breaking down the recruitment of Manning, and what exactly he is looking for in the Longhorns going forward: 

"For Texas, it's about the potential," Garcia said. "Compared to the national title game participants from January, UT offers the opportunity to truly create a legacy at one of the programs that will support that rise most (or even before it truly starts if recent history is considered). The potential of the decision to go into the fall directly benefits Texas most considering it has to build the sell on the field to support what Steve Sarkisian and quarterbacks coach AJ Milwee have been able to project personally. Manning is plenty aware of the UT network, even golfing with former Longhorn QB Sam Ehlinger in March, and appears to draw closest to other UT recruiting targets he has overlapped with while visiting. Austin, as he said Monday, also has the most 'city' feel of any of the options, something the New Orleans native is familiar with."

Without a doubt, those are all important factors for the NFL Legacy, who is going to be fielding a variety of different pitches and perspectives from the three coaching staffs going forward.

However, according to Garcia, Manning's official visits will also provide a chance for a more unique and personal experience for the staffs with Manning -- and likely with his family as well. 

"(Official visits) are more intimate," Garcia said. "48 hours on campus via the program's dime, which in this case we could assume would involve a lot of the structure and/or trajectory sells (especially at Texas) in addition to play callers getting time on the whiteboard with one of the most polished quarterback recruits of all-time. If there is a recruitment where the back-and-forth in drawing up plays could become telling from prospect to program or vice versa, it would be the Manning recruitment. I'm also curious to see who shows up on those trips, as family is also a big part of official visits. Cooper, his father, has handled most of the recruitment but the three former NFL quarterbacks with the same last name could of course potentially tag along." 

With all of that said, Manning's recruitment will like extend through the summer and into the fall, depending on when he is able to make plans for his officials.

However, there is also the possibility that it happens sooner than later, perhaps before or during the Manning Passing Academy this summer. 

However, whichever route it takes, the Longhorns seem to be in poll position for the 2023 star recruit.