Why LSU Football should be viewed as being in the top 2 for Arch Manning

LSU football will be strongly pursuing 2023 quarterback Arch Manning.

LSU football, along with the rest of the college football world, will be strongly pursuing 2023 quarterback Arch Manning over the next couple of years.

Manning is the son of Cooper Manning, the grandson of former Ole Miss and New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning and the nephew of Eli Manning (formerly of Ole Miss and the New York Giants) and Peyton Manning (formerly of Tennessee and the Indianapolis Colts/Denver Broncos).

Suffice it to say, he’s going to be one of the top recruits in the 2023 class.

In fact, Manning is already near the top of the rankings. He debuted as the No. 1 quarterback in the nation in 247Sports’ early 2023 rankings.

Ole Miss will likely be perceived as the favorite, given the strong family connections. LSU, however, may not be far behind.

Why LSU football should be considered among the top threats to land Manning

247Sports’ Sonny Shipp reported this week that past relationships will factor into Manning’s recruiting (good for Ole Miss and Tennessee), but so will the “current climate” at programs (good for LSU).

The Mannings are notorious for not being pushy with their kids. That’s the reason Peyton ended up at Tennessee and not Ole Miss (where his parents and older brother Cooper attended). The family is taking that same approach with Arch.

“We’re open to sending our kids to wherever they want to go to school,” said Cooper in a radio interview with 104.5 in Baton Rouge earlier this year. “I don’t think MIT is calling anytime soon, but we raise them to do what they want to do and make decisions and we support them, that’s the way it works,” added Cooper.

When pressed on LSU, Cooper said “Arch has grown up around all my friends locally in New Orleans that are all LSU fans. They’ve been giving him a hard time for a long time about Baton Rouge and he’s been to a couple of games there. They’ve got a great program and Coach O has done unbelievable”.

It’s obviously way too early to forecast what will happen in the youngest Manning’s recruitment. But I feel really good about the Tigers’ chances.

LSU is the hometown school (the Manning family has made New Orleans their home base since the early 1970s). Proximity, along with the Tigers’ recent success, are two factors that are definitely in LSU’s favor.

Something else that could help LSU?

The presence of Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss.

I’m not sure what the Mannings think of Kiffin. But I could understand if there are some sour feelings after the way Kiffin left Tennessee in early 2010. Ultimately, the Mannings want the best for Arch. Ole Miss will obviously be a factor because of the family history, but that won’t be the driving force behind Arch’s decision.

The decision is going to come down to where Arch will have the best experience and the best chance to develop into an elite NFL prospect.

And I think that place is likey in Baton Rouge.