How QB Arch Manning has the Texas Longhorns on the verge of a huge offseason win

Redshirt freshman quarterback Arch Manning won't be the starter for the Texas Longhorns in a couple of weeks when the 2024 season gets underway, but he's still proving to be valuable in Austin this offseason.

The Longhorns, thanks in large part to Manning, appear to be on the verge of landing a commitment from 2025 five-star wide receiver Jaime Ffrench.

Ffrench, 6-foot-1/185 lbs from Jacksonville, FL, is rated in 247Sports' composite rankings as the No. 4 wide receiver in the nation and the No. 3 player in the state of Florida. He's also rated as the No. 19 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class.

The talented wide receiver, who is set to announce his commitment on August 30, is down to Miami, LSU, Tennessee, and Texas.

On3's Steve Wiltfong noted this week that he feels "strong" about his prediction that Texas will land Ffrench. And one reason he feels that way is because of Manning.

"The opportunity to play with Arch Manning is another major factor catching his (Ffrench's) eye," wrote Wiltfong. "The Manning factor is a strong element down the stretch a source said."

Ffrench is the type of talent that could be a contributor in the SEC as a true freshman. And the opportunity to hit the field with Manning, who will have two years of development under his belt when he takes over as the Longhorns' starter in 2025, sounds like it could be too tempting for Ffrench to pass up. And how can you blame him after Manning's huge performance in the Texas spring game earlier this year?

Arch might not be starting quite yet at Texas, but he's still helping the Longhorns collect some big offseason wins.

Related: How Arch Manning unknowingly helped the Tennessee Vols in a big way