In the NCAA's new normal, the Name, Image and Likeness prospects for mega-prospect Arch Manning appear endless, but that's not on the mind as the Isidore Newman quarterback enters his junior season.
At least that's what Saints legend Archie Manning said this week in discussing his grandson's mindset for this season, speaking on SportsTalk with Bobby Hebert, Mike Detillier and Kristian Garic.
"I don’t think Arch even knows what it’s about. So we’re not gonna go there," Archie Manning said. "This thing’s got a couple years to play out. I want Arch to enjoy, and really enjoy the journey of this high school experience."
With top athletes cashing in on financial opportunities since July 1, it's been suggested that the son of Cooper Manning could make upward of $10 million as a freshman, wherever he lands in a recruiting chase that is only starting to heat up. Arch already has offers from virtually every top program in the nation, including LSU, Alabama, Clemson and Georgia, the latter of which Manning took a visit to last month.
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It's a process Archie Manning said has changed significantly even since his two NFL sons, Peyton and Eli, went through it. But his grandson's recruitment is an area Archie says he's stayed out of to this point.
"The world has changed since Cooper went through recruiting … since Peyton, Eli went through recruiting. I mean, it has changed. And Arch got thrown in and played well as a freshman, but he didn’t need to be wrapped up in recruiting at that point. Cooper just shut it down. ... And then they kind of got through their second year, which was a tough year for everyone — pandemic year. But now the chance for him to visit a few schools and see what that’s like. It’s still different, I mean it’s still different. Here he is going into his junior year. I don’t think Peyton Manning even started getting letters from schools until his junior year. So, it’s already a lot different, but he’s handling it good. He like to play. He’s a sweet kid. He’s got his head on right.”
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MORE FROM ARCHIE MANNING
WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THE NCAA'S NIL CHANGES?
"I just don’t know how we can just sit here now, and we just don’t know how this thing is going to play out. I know there are people that are giving up their day jobs to form little agencies, and you’re gonna have agents. Now I guess you’re going to have agents coming out of high school, when you go to college. And I don’t know if that’s a good thing, but it’s here."
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THOUGHTS ON JAMEIS WINSTON AS HE BATTLES TO BE NEXT SAINTS QB
“He had a year in the system. And I don’t care he didn’t play that much, when he did he played fine. But he was in that room. He was in that room for a year. And that’s a good room.
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"You know, that one thing about a lot of people said ‘no, you know, that year he threw for 5,000 yards, he threw all those interceptions.’ Well, I know a little something about Bruce Arians. Bruce is a good friend of mine. Peyton played for Bruce Arians early in his career. But I know a couple guys on that stuff, and communicate with them from time to time. Bruce, you know, sometimes he just tells his quarterbacks to just keep firing. Bobby, you’ve had coaches like that, ‘don’t worry about the interceptions. You know, we’re getting yardage, we’re getting some touchdowns. You need to keep firing.’ And that’s kind of what he did that year. Now, Sean’s not going to tell him that. But he’s going to benefit from being in that room last year. He’s going to benefit from playing for Sean Payton, who I think is one of the best play-callers in the game. And the help and support that he gets from, not a good offensive line, a great offensive line, unbelievable running back, receivers, you know, good people around him.
"A lot of people ask me, and I sense some people in the community doubt Jameis. I don’t — I don’t. I think Jameis can do the job. I know Jameis is mature enough now to know the opportunity that he has here, and it’s a great opportunity. And I look for him to take advantage of it.”