Arch Manning Resets Shedeur Sanders’ NIL Record as Texas QB’s Valuation Soars to $6.8 Million

In a day and age where the words “Name, Image, and Likeness” seem to dictate everything within the landscape of college athletics, being the latest member of football’s royal family is more than enough to secure millions of dollars for yourself. Despite having barely touched the field, Arch Manning of the Texas Longhorns is now commanding a $6.8 million NIL valuation ahead of his first season as a full-time starter.

It’s officially the largest NIL valuation on the books to date, clearing the $6.5-million record that was set by the former Colorado Buffalo, Shedeur Sanders. Sanders has about 2.4 million more followers on social media and also received nearly triple the amount of NIL deals that Manning has so far, highlighting just how concentrated Manning’s current value is.

At this point in time, however, no one else is even remotely close to the Louisiana native when it comes to NIL earnings.

The second-highest valuation in the nation currently belongs to Miami’s own hotshot quarterback, Carson Beck, with a grand total of $4.3 million. Ohio State’s  Jeremiah Smith trails just behind him with a personal valuation of $4.2 million.

Simply put, there’s a gap of more than $2.5 million between Manning and the rest of his peers, and there’s potential for it to grow even wider. Texas is currently the odds-on favorite to take home the 2025 CFB National Championship, while Manning himself is the betting favorite to take home the 2026 Heisman trophy.

There’s a lot of cash riding on the potential of this 21-year-old kid, and if he begins to deliver early on in the season, then those investments are going to start paying out. With each and every step that Texas takes towards a national championship, the monetary sums surrounding both Manning and the program will continue to grow.

Then again, should the critics prove to be right and Manning begins to falter under the stage lights, then there could be the potential for some catastrophic losses. After all, it’s hard for Panini to justify an exclusive memorabilia deal if no one wants an autograph.

Ultimately, Manning’s record-breaking valuation seems to suggest that raw talent and impressive film can only earn you so much. While everyone else is resigned to the $4-million tier, second- and third-generation athletes, such as Manning and Sanders, are seeing extra dollars reserved just for them.

Then again, players of their caliber have essentially become the name or designer brands of the college football marketplace. The time for developing home-grown stars is over.

Nowadays, if you want to find a stud athlete for your team, one that can actually bring fans and ESPN news crews to the arena, then you’ll have to pay top dollar.