Arch Manning didn’t just step into the Texas starting job — he walked into the top spot on the NIL valuations list while he did it. Depending on which tracker you’re looking at, his valuation is sitting somewhere between $6.5 and $6.8 million for 2025. That’s not a typo.

That’s also more than double the average NFL salary last season. For a college quarterback who’s started two games. Wild, right? But if you zoom out and look at the full picture — the family, the marketability, the timing, the way Texas is positioned, and yes, the player he could become — it actually tracks.

The Sticker Price: $6-Point-Something Million

On3’s NIL valuation system tries to estimate both how much a player is worth to a team (roster value) and how much they’re worth to companies and advertisers (marketing value). According to that model, Arch’s value has skyrocketed by nearly $4 million in the last year alone — jumping from around $3.1 million to as high as $6.8M now that he’s officially the starting quarterback at Texas.

And it’s not just football players he’s ahead of. He’s on top of the entire college sports world — more than $2 million clear of the next closest athlete, regardless of sport.

Now, to be clear: NIL valuations aren’t some flawless science. These aren’t guaranteed payouts or direct deposits showing up every Monday. They’re ballpark figures used by agents, brands, and collectives to gauge market power. But whether you think $6.8M is too high, too low, or right on the money, the point is this: everyone who makes decisions in this space sees Arch Manning as the most bankable name in college sports right now.

It’s not just because of who he is — though that certainly helps — it’s because of where he is.

Where the Money’s Coming From: Brands You Actually Know

Arch didn’t jump headfirst into NIL deals the moment he stepped onto campus in Austin. That’s just not how the Mannings operate. Instead, he played it cool — focusing on learning the system, earning respect in the locker room, and keeping the noise down while he developed. And when the time came and Arch was officially QB1, then the floodgates opened:

• Uber brought Arch together with his dad Cooper and grandpa Archie in a fun, forward-thinking campaign centered on Waymo’s self-driving cars.

• Raising Cane’s had him working a shift — apron and all — before the Manning Passing Academy. It's a fun, humble look that connected a southern fan-favorite food a southern fan-favorite family.

• Vuori, the upscale athleticwear brand, signed him as part of their push to grab top-tier young athletes who fit the clean, high-upside image.

• Panini America got in early with a memorabilia deal that also ties into charitable efforts — not just about selling cards, but also about doing some good along the way.

And that’s just what we know about. There’s probably more under wraps. But the key here isn’t just the quantity or even the brand names. It’s the timing and the fit. Every one of these partnerships feels like part of a long-term plan. Nothing’s random, nothing’s noisy. That approach — combined with the potential for a Heisman run, a playoff berth, and a likely first-round NFL future — is what makes him so valuable.

Brands aren’t just throwing money at Arch because of his last name. They’re betting on the full story. They see a quarterback with national reach, the family polish, and a real shot to become the face of college football as it evolves into a business-first era.

The Football Part: What Makes Arch… Arch

The most tired — and frankly laziest — take you’ll still hear when it comes to Arch Manning is, “Let's wait and see if he's any good.” It’s the fallback line for folks who’ve seen the name and the brand but haven’t watched much tape. The truth? Yeah, he’s good. More than that, he’s talented in ways that matter at the college level — and maybe even more so at the next. He hasn't had a ton of live reps yet, but the signs are all there.

Physically, the kid is built exactly how you’d want a modern quarterback to be. He stands 6’4”, weighs around 214 pounds, and moves with surprising smoothness for someone his size. He’s not going to truck defenders like Josh Allen or break a 60-yarder like Lamar Jackson, but he doesn’t have to. He’s mobile enough to escape pressure, extend plays, and burn you when you forget he can run. Last year, even in a limited role, he rushed for four touchdowns and averaged over seven yards a carry. That’s real value in a college offense — just enough to keep defenses honest.

But what really stands out is how polished he already is mechanically. His throwing motion is compact and efficient, and he’s got that natural timing and rhythm that’s hard to teach. He doesn’t just fire it all over the yard hoping something sticks — there’s a calmness to the way he throws, like he’s in control of the situation. Sarkisian’s system demands precision and timing to hit those intermediate windows and Arch has already shown he can do it.

There’s also a noticeable difference in how aggressive he is pushing the ball downfield. Texas fans should be excited about that. While past iterations of this offense leaned conservative, Arch looks like he’s wired to test defenses vertically and hit those boundary shots when they’re there. It’s not reckless — it’s confident.

In 2024, backing up Quinn Ewers, he completed nearly 68% of his passes (61-of-90) for 939 yards, 9 touchdowns, and just 2 picks. Add in the four scores on the ground, and you’ve got a young QB who was doing more than just babysitting drives. He wasn’t being asked to be the star — he was just expected to execute and manage, and he did both really well.

Now, with a full offseason to prep as the guy, the full support of the locker room, and a scheme tailored around his strengths? This is when we’ll really start to see who he is as a quarterback. The playbook’s about to open up, and the stage couldn’t be bigger. He seems more than ready for it.

NIL vs. NFL Salaries: The New Normal

The money is the eye-popper here — and understandably so. When you hear that Arch Manning is set to make more money this year than most players in the NFL, it feels almost made up. But it’s not. The average NFL salary last season was around $3.2 million, and the median was just $860,000. Arch is going to top both of those before he ever steps onto an NFL field.

A decade ago, this kind of headline would’ve been laughed out of the room. A college player — even one with a famous last name — out-earning pro quarterbacks? No shot. But that’s where the game is now. NIL changed the rules, and Arch is walking proof that if you’re marketable, talented, and play a high-profile position at a massive program like Texas, there’s a whole new financial lane open to you.

The lines between college star and professional superstar have already started to blur. Like Caleb Williams a couple of years ago, Arch is right at the center of that shift — maybe even leading it.

Pressure? Sure. But He Sounds Ready

He’s said everything you’d want to hear from a young quarterback stepping into the spotlight — stuff about how sitting behind Ewers helped him grow and earned him respect in the locker room. He used the phrase — leading "from a place of love" — sounds cheesy out of context, but coming from Arch, it tracks. It’s genuine. He’s been around football long enough to know that leadership is more than yelling in the huddle or throwing touchdown passes.

And from everything we've seen and heard, he looks the part. There's a calmness to him, a maturity that goes beyond his age, and what’s refreshing is that he’s not hiding behind the Manning legacy. He’s not trying to be Peyton or Eli. He’s just trying to be himself — and right now, that version of himself looks ready to run the show.

The buzz is real, which means the Heisman hype is already bubbling. Texas is considered a legit national title contender before the season has even started. The job is his, the team is ready, and the moment feels like it’s finally arrived.