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Top NIL Earner Arch Manning Could Be in for Rude Awakening Ahead of Huge Season

It looks like Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is going to have to deal with an inexperienced receiver room in what was going to be his long-awaited breakout campaign.

Dylan Sanders

Jan 1, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up before the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Jan 1, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up before the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
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The Texas Longhorns have one of the top quarterbacks in the country, but it looks like he may have a weaker offense to work with than expected.

Quarterback Arch Manning is finally going to lead the Longhorns' offense next year, and expectations are sky-high.

Not only does his namesake put pressure on him as is, but Manning is also the top NIL earner in the country with a $6.5 million valuation from On3.

That will make fans expect borderline perfection when he's on the field, but he could have a tough time living up to those expectations since his receiving corps is dealing with a major injury.

LockedOn Longhorns host Brad Kellner highlighted a recent spring injury that could end up being a huge deal.

Sophomore and former four-star receiver Deandre Moore is apparently still dealing with a toe injury that has been lingering since last season, and he won't be 100% to start the spring.

Moore came in with the 2023 recruiting class, and last year was the first time that he got a real chance to make an impact.

After what he showcased, it looked like he was in a more a major role this upcoming season.

"He had a very good chance to be the number one wide receiver and maybe he still does have a very good chance to be the number one wide receiver. This is a guy who was going to be a huge part of this Texas longhorn offense," said Kellner. "Him not being 100% for at least the start of spring ball, that is not ideal for a team that doesn't have a lot of returning production in that wide receiver room."

Moore was the third-most productive receiver on the team last year with 39 catches for 456 yards and seven touchdowns.

Not only did the junior need to ride that momentum into 2025, but Manning needs as much veteran help at the position as possible.

The Longhorns are desperately going to need Ryan Wingo to pan out with an increase in workload, as well as star freshmen Kaliq Lockett and Jaime Ffrench to adjust to the college game quickly.

Wingo was the team's third-leading receiver in terms of yardage last season with 29 catches for 472 yards and two touchdowns.

He and Manning connected on a big play previously when they took advantage of a broken defense against the UTSA Roadrunners with a 75-yard bomb of a touchdown.

Lockett was the second-ranked receiver in the country. He also has the build to compete right away. With how star freshman receivers have started to take over the game, that could be a fair expectation.

Ffrench could at least be a big-play threat this year as a former track star and the ninth-ranked receiver in the nation.

While this wide receiver room could be even better than what Quinn Ewers was working with last season, there will likely be some more growing pains for Manning to deal with.

That could spell trouble since Texas starts the year on the road against the reigning national champion Ohio State Buckeyes.

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Dylan Sanders
DYLAN SANDERS

Dylan Sanders graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree from the Manship School of Mass Communication in 2023. He was born in raised in Baton Rouge, LA but has also lived in Buffalo, NY. Though he is a recent graduate, he has been writing about sports since he was in high school, covering different sports from baseball to football. While in college, he wrote for the school paper The Reveille and for 247Sports. He was able cover championships in football, baseball and women's basketball during his time at LSU. He has also spent a few years covering the NFL draft and every day activities of the New Orleans Saints. He is a Senior Writer at Inside the Marlins and will also be found across Sports Illustrated's baseball sites as a contributing writer. You can follow him on Twitter or Instagram @dillysanders

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