Arch Manning is under the national microscope this season as he aims to potentially be the first quarterback off the board in the 2027 NFL Draft.
The Texas Longhorns signal-caller pulled off a signature win over Ohio State in Week 2 and is now gearing up for a tough road challenge against No. 14 Tennessee.
His last name alone puts him in the spotlight and he is a regular talking point by analysts around the nation. That includes the duo of Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless, who have reunited in a limited capacity on ESPN’s “First Take.”
The two are known for their passionate debates and were asked the following question Friday: Do you trust Arch (Manning) in this game? Bayless’ response may surprise some college football fans.
Skip Bayless Shares Honest Thoughts on Arch Manning
“When I watch Arch Manning, he makes me nervous,” Bayless said. “I’m edge of seat for him. I root for him because I liked his uncles and I loved his grandfather, and he’s next in line. And yet, his accuracy comes and goes. When he’s good, he’s really good, he’s a Manning. And when he’s bad, which is more often that you think it would be, he is scary bad.”
That is a vintage Bayless take on a quarterback who is already considered a potential No. 1 pick in next year’s draft. The analyst seems to hold it against Manning that the young man did not start at Texas right away, and points out he may be unfairly judging the quarterback because of his last name.
Manning is still only 22 years old and had a solid year in 2025, finishing with 3,163 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. Texas’ season ultimately ended with a victory in the Citrus Bowl.
Last week’s performance against UTSA raised some eyebrows among Manning’s detractors. He went 16-32 for 161 yards against an inferior opponent in a 30-6 win. This performance did, however, include two touchdown passes and over 50 yards rushing.
Taking the Next Step
Manning’s draft stock remains high, even if talking heads like Bayless are poking holes in his case. He now has a chance to silence all his doubters with a road victory over Tennessee on Saturday. The game is so big the President of the United States will even be in attendance.
He will look to avoid being “scary bad,” though Bayless did not cite specifics to back up that claim. If anything, the veteran analyst seemed to have a talking point and was going to stick to it no matter what.
Manning will just want to make sure he doesn’t have a truly bad performance that leads to actual evidence of poor play.
Skip Bayless Makes ‘Scary Bad’ Claim About Arch Manning