Arch Manning signs exclusive deal with Panini, will auction autographed card for charity
Without having taken a snap at Texas, freshman quarterback Arch Manning is a potential superstar in the NIL world — the key word being potential. Despite having the highest On3 NIL Valuation among college football players at $2.8 million, Manning had yet to sign any deal utilizing his value during his time on the Forty Acres. That changed Tuesday. The first deal he made? One supporting an Austin-area charity.
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Manning announced an exclusive trading card partnership with Panini and released a 1-of-1 Throwback Black Prizm autographed card. The card will be auctioned off with all proceeds benefitting what he called a “Central Texas nonprofit through St. David’s Healthcare and St. David’s Foundation.
Bidding on the card will end Saturday at 8 p.m. Central time.
This deal comes less than two weeks after fellow UT quarterback Quinn Ewers signed a similar exclusive deal with Panini. Ewers has an On3 NIL Valuation of $1.1 million, good for No. 13 among college football players.
Despite the lofty valuation for Manning, the son of Cooper Manning, nephew of Eli and Peyton Manning, and grandson of Archie Manning, this is the first known deal for the former Five-Star Plus+ prospect.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was adamant in April at a speaking event in Houston that despite the incredible branding potential and value associated with the Manning name, Arch took no NIL money as part of his recruitment that featured Texas, Alabama, and Georgia as finalists.
“Everybody is under this assumption that this was an NIL deal for him to come to the University of Texas,” Sarkisian said. “It was absolutely not. I wish I had my phone. I would read you the text I got from Cooper Manning after Arch called me out of the blue at about nine o’clock in the morning to say he was coming to the University of Texas.
“It had come down to us, Alabama, and Georgia, and in the end his dad texted me and said if there’s a message to tell any of the young recruits you’re recruiting, it’s that Arch Manning is coming to Texas because he loves the University of Texas, he loves the coaches, and he loves the program. This is not about NIL. He’s taken zero money from NIL while he’s at Texas.”
Sarkisian mentioned that Archie wouldn’t let Arch take any NIL money until he became a starting quarterback. This deal doesn’t violate the Manning patriarch’s wishes as Arch’s video announcement said all proceeds from the auction will go to charity.
Manning, who was the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2023 On3 Industry Ranking, enrolled early at Texas and will battle redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy for the backup quarterback role. Ewers was named the starting quarterback by Sarkisian following the conclusion of the spring game.
During the Orange-White game Manning was 5-of-13 for 30 yards. He had seven rushes -8 yards and was sacked four times.
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