Arch Manning is one of the best college quarterbacks. Even coming out of high school, he was extremely highly-touted. He may have sat for some time under Quinn Ewers, but he's here now, and he's likely to be one of the faces of the sport. That alone is lofty praise, but Paul Finebaum took it a step further with an incredibly bold take.
Paul Finebaum loads up praise for Arch Manning
Paul Finebaum is not holding back with praise for Arch Manning. Ahead of the Texas star's first full season as the starter, he said he felt that Manning was better than every single other college quarterback since Tim Tebow in 2006. "[I expect] the absolute roof. I think there's a reasonably good chance that Arch Manning will be sitting on the front row in New York at the Heisman ceremony," Finebaum began.
He believes Texas will compete for the SEC and national titles this year, helping Manning's case. He said that Steve Sarkisian, whom he called one of the best playcallers ever, was mistaken by staying "too loyal to Quinn Ewers" late last season. Had he benched Ewers against Ohio State, Finebaum believes the Longhorns would've won.
That's when he broke out the comparison, noting that Manning is evidently better than Cam Newton, Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, Johnny Manziel, and others who've been legitimate legends at the quarterback position since then. When backlash ensued, Finebaum didn't take back his statement.
He said later, "I rest my case. I'm not backing down. I feel like the battered New York Democratic candidate for mayor who everybody has attacked — I don't want anything to do with him by the way. I'm just making a point that I have been unfairly attacked, not only by you three, but by the entire country." Finebaum is sticking to his guns, but Manning now has a lot to live up to.