AUSTIN (KXAN) — Aaron Murray had an outstanding career at Georgia, playing 52 games as a 4-year starting quarterback from 2010-2013, piling up Southeastern Conference records with 13,166 passing yards and 121 touchdowns. It’s safe to say, at least from his numbers, that he knows what it takes to be a productive quarterback in the SEC.
Murray is now an analyst for ESPN and appears on SiriusXM satellite radio’s college sports channels. While speaking with Dari Nowkhah on SiriusXM’s SEC Radio, Murray offered his take on Arch Manning and the hype surrounding him coming into the 2025 season.
He’s not sold on Manning already being a top quarterback in the SEC. Murray used Quinn Ewers’ seventh-round selection in the 2025 NFL draft to help make his case.
“If you are so good, and everyone has you projected as the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft in 2026, why in the hell are you not playing above a seventh-round quarterback? Why was Arch not playing?” Murray said. “That rubs me the wrong way a little bit. When you watch the tape, yeah, it looks good at times, but I wouldn’t say it looks incredible. It doesn’t scream first-round talent to me off the bat.”
Without interruption, he clarified his point.
“I’m not saying he can’t get there, and I’m never going to talk bad about a quarterback because I know how difficult it is,” he said. “I’m cheering for him like I cheer for every quarterback, but I need to see it first. I’m not going to crown you this All-American superstar when I haven’t seen you do it.”
Manning played in 10 games with two starts last season as a redshirt freshman, starting against Louisiana Monroe and Mississippi State due to Ewers’ oblique injury. Manning showed off his athleticism and arm strength that helped convince many people to believe he’s the next big thing in college football, but to Murray’s point, Manning doesn’t have the experience yet. He hasn’t consistently shown it against SEC competition.
Murray said he’d put Manning “in the middle of the pack” when ranking SEC quarterbacks.
Even Manning said he gets “undeserved attention,” mainly because of his last name, shared with his Super Bowl-winning uncles Peyton and Eli and grandfather Archie, a 13-year NFL veteran.
“I don’t think I’ve done enough yet to be taking pictures at restaurants and signing autographs,” he told ESPN’s Marty Smith. “But maybe that will come eventually.”
