Georgia football is one of the finalists for 2023 5-star quarterback Arch Manning. While there have been rumors this week that Alabama and Texas are the only two in the race, those are just speculations and are glorified guesses.
If we’re being even more honest, Georgia, Texas, Alabama and Ole Miss are all still in the hunt to land this legacy commitment.
Now it seems like LSU and Florida can be considerations as well.
The rumors began on ESPN Upstate’s Offsides with Marc Ryan as Brent Beaird, a Heisman Trophy voter and First Coast News analyst, suggested that Alabama and Texas were the two teams who seemed poised to land him.
There was no hard evidence suggesting why they were, so it was pretty bold for him to predict that. If Beaird predicts the right thing, then good on him, but for now, it doesn’t seem like it has much substance.
Leaving out Georgia is silly because of how much the Dawgs have worked on building a relationship with Arch. Head coach Kirby Smart has gone above and beyond to show this kid how much Georgia wants him, and to count out the national champs doesn’t seem right.
Georgia football is in the mix for Arch Manning, if not the team to beat.
There are plenty of reasons to consider the five schools still in the race for Manning, but to cut out Georgia and Ole Miss does not seem feasible. Why would Arch cross them off his list at this point in his recruitment?
Georgia, who has a quarterback room with four and five stars sitting on the bench waiting for their shot. Some may think it isn’t wise for him to consider Georgia, but why not? The Dawgs are on the rise and need talented quarterbacks to help lead the way. While they have those right now, Manning is a different breed. That family breeds quarterbacks, two NFL Super Bowl winning quarterbacks right now, so the kid has the it factor.
We all know he does at this point in his recruitment, but that shouldn’t mean Georgia is out of the race.
Arch Manning could leave his own legacy
One of the biggest reasons Georgia is the team to beat is among those five schools. Outside Alabama, Georgia is where Manning could leave his own legacy. Ole Miss isn’t a bad option, but they aren’t winning the SEC West every year and playing in Atlanta.
Florida has their issues, but another school that wouldn’t be competing on the biggest stages like Georgia would. The Gators just hired another new head coach and are figuring out their identity, but he has them on his list.
Texas isn’t back, and the Longhorns continue to rebuild their program. They could use a guy like Manning to help continue that rebuild, but at the same time, does he want to go 8-4 each year?
Sure Manning could help all five of these schools, but at Georgia, he could help the Dawgs win another national championship, and that pull doesn’t seem nearly as far-fetched after the 2021 season.
Manning has ties to Ole Miss, but he could leave his legacy by picking the Dawgs and leading them to glory like the rest of his family did for the Rebels.
Georgia may come with competition, but any good quarterback knows hard work makes them better.
Weapons galore at Georgia
There are plenty of offensive weapons at Georgia that Manning could use to help him succeed. The defense is one of those key weapons as well. Again outside Alabama, none of the other three schools have a defense that could help stop opponents so their offense can get something going.
Then there is the offensive line, and the Dawgs have a stout one. Texas gave up 24, Ole Miss gave up 25 sacks, Tennessee gave up 36, Alabama gave up 37 and Georgia gave up 14. Most of those 14 didn’t come until later on in the season.
The Dawgs will be able to land more wideouts if a guy like Manning comes to campus, but Brock Bowers, Ladd McConkey, and others would be around at least for his freshman year. The same could be said for any of these, but it’s that defensive edge and protection that stand Georgia above the rest.
Georgia has playmakers that will only make Manning better.
Relationships hold weight, a lot of weight
Smart and his staff have done a great job letting Manning know he is someone they want on their team. From the head coach himself to Buster Faulkner, Todd Monken, and others, they have made it a point to build a relationship with Manning.
Regardless, his name carries weight, but they all went to a basketball game to support him. Of course, this is part of the recruiting process, but that relationship thing is something Smart preaches.
When NIL deals are swaying kids to certain places, Smart makes sure he is still building that relationship so that bond is there in case something else doesn’t work.
Georgia will make sure they let him know his best interest is at heart, and they will find him the best path to the NFL. Sure the other schools will do that too, but there is something about how Smart is building this program and seeking out high-character players to fill his team.
Manning is one of those guys, and if there are more around him, it gives him a great chance at making the NFL because bad choices shouldn’t get made.
Right now, I’d say Georgia is leading the pack in Manning’s recruiting and is the team to beat. This recruitment will be old school because it’s not like he needs NIL money to sway him. His name carries enough weight, and those will come wherever he decides to play. Georgia has the edge because it’s about getting him to the league and winning championships.
The Dawgs are on the rise, and if Manning wants to leave a legacy, it’s going to be suiting up in the Red and Black to help Georgia win another national championship and possibly a Heisman Trophy.