Editorial: Arch Manning vs. Shedeur Sanders — Why the Hype Debate is Louder Than Ever
The college football world can’t seem to get enough of the Manning name. Arch Manning, the highly touted quarterback prospect and grandson of NFL legend Archie Manning, continues to be one of the most polarizing figures in the sport — despite having little on-field experience at the collegiate level.
To be fair, none of this is Arch Manning’s fault. The freshman quarterback didn’t choose his last name, and he certainly didn’t manufacture the media buzz that has followed him since high school. But as the NFL rumor mill already spins with talk of teams “tanking” in hopes of drafting him in a few years, some fans are starting to ask a fair question: shouldn’t we see him play at least half a season as a starter before crowning him the next big thing?
Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, Arch’s famous uncles, were not backups in college — they led their teams and built their reputations through years of on-field dominance. Arch, on the other hand, has mostly been a backup during his young career. Yet the hype remains relentless.
This is where the comparison to Shedeur Sanders, son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, becomes unavoidable. Shedeur actually started throughout his entire college career, first at Jackson State under his father, then at Colorado, where he faced top-tier competition every week. He didn’t get to hide on the bench — he was thrown into the fire from day one.
And yet, critics often claim Shedeur’s success is solely due to his last name — that he’s only in the conversation because he’s “Coach Prime’s son.” The irony isn’t lost on many fans: one quarterback is praised endlessly before even proving himself, while the other is questioned constantly despite years of production.
This isn’t just about football. For some, it feels like a broader conversation about how certain players are treated differently in the media spotlight. Some fans even go as far as suggesting there’s a racial undertone to the discourse, with Sanders often held to a harsher standard than Manning.
Whether fair or not, the conversation isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Arch Manning remains one of the most talked-about prospects in the country, while Shedeur Sanders continues to be one of the most scrutinized. Both quarterbacks will eventually get their chance to prove themselves on Sundays, but for now, the comparison is a fascinating case study in how media narratives are shaped — and who benefits from them.
