Arch Manning was never a wallflower, but his family’s initial decision not to take advantage of NIL opportunities that came in the Texas quarterback's freshman year felt smart at the time.

After all, the five-star recruit was in his first year at Texas and was third on the depth chart behind Quinn Ewers and Maalik Murphy, who has since transferred to Duke.

That was then, and this is now.

Texas' popular backup quarterback and his uncle Eli Manning announced this week that Manning will be a usable player in EA Sports’ College Football ’25 video game, which will be released July 19.

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This is much bigger than earning a few NIL bucks. Manning has entered the fray and is ready to give Ewers a run for his money for the starting job, which is music to Steve Sarkisian’s ears, even though we understand that Ewers is the man until further notice.

This time last year, Manning wasn't a starting option. The sense was he needed to spend his first season getting bigger in the weight room and better on the field in what was basically an internship behind two older signal-callers. But this year's competition will be hot even if the smart money is on the older guy.

Every college football coach wants a proven commodity as the starter, but to have Ewers under center and a  backup with Manning’s potential waiting in the wings is even better. Add big-armed freshman Trey Owens to the mix, and the Horns have an embarrassment of riches in their quarterbacks room.

One year later, Arch Manning looks ready

Manning, at just 19, has the look of a starter, but make no mistake: The more experienced Ewers, who is coming off a breakout season for the College Football Playoff semifinalists, is Texas' quarterback, barring injury. He's earned that. But Manning is showing he's ready to embrace the perks that come with being the most visible athlete on campus, a position normally held by the starting quarterback.

In Wednesday's posted video, Eli Manning barks out a play call and urges his nephew, clad in shoulder pads and holding a game controller, to use some cadence and be vocal. Arch calls out the play and does an understated “Omaha” in reference to his other uncle Peyton’s famous audible that went viral near the end of his career.

Fresh off an appearance with Ewers and his uncles at the Manning Passing Academy, Arch’s emergence in the NIL arena is telling. He's still relatively inexperienced as far as actual game time goes, but you cannot deny the immense star power he already holds on campus.

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The Arch Manning who spoke at the academy a couple of weeks ago is no longer the cherubic youngster who went against the family tradition and signed with a football team that wasn’t an SEC member at the time. After his second spring on campus, the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder is more mature physically and most notably carrying himself with a quiet, measured confidence that’s been a trait among his family's football predecessors.

Arch Manning: 'I like the situation I'm in'

In this era of instant gratification, Manning is the exception. The prized jewel of Texas' 2023 recruiting class knows his day is coming eventually, and he believes it will happen in Austin. Texas fans should thank the heavens that the Manning family is built differently. The phone surely rang from prospective coaches this offseason, but Arch remains a Longhorn and is undoubtedly the Longhorns' future as the program settles into the SEC.

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“I like the situation I’m in,” Manning told reporters at the passing academy. “Sometimes you’ve got to stay patient and stay ready for your turn. I’m happy where I am at, and I can’t wait to stay there for some years and win some games.”

Manning attempted a grand total of five passes as a freshman — he completed two of them for 30 yards in the win over Texas Tech — but since he played in only two games, he retains four years of eligibility though his upside suggests he could leave before 2027, which would be his fifth year on campus.

There is no denying his growing star power. His late entrance into the Big 12 title win over Oklahoma State was met with a thunderous ovation normally reserved for people like Taylor Swift and George Strait. On that day, the reaction at AT&T Stadium was second in decibel level only to the boos directed at conference Commissioner Brett Yormark during the postgame trophy presentation.

When asked about the value of patience, Manning said he had no interest in moving to a new place and learning a bunch of new names when he can just keep his head down and be ready when his turn comes.

“I think it’s hard because I think everyone wants to go in and play,” he said. “I played every year in high school, and sitting a year or two is tough because you want to be out there playing with your boys. It’s just realizing I’m in a good situation and there’s nowhere else I wanted to be. It’s my dream to play at Texas, so I’m going to stick it out and play there eventually.”

For now, we may see more of him on video screens than on a real football field, and I suspect that’s fine with Longhorn Nation as long as Ewers is putting up numbers and producing wins.

Speaking of winning, Manning’s NIL valuation is estimated at $2.8 million, which ranks third among all college athletes, according to On3. The website also reported Manning will receive between $50,000 and $60,000 to promote the game and another $600 to allow EA sports to use his name, image and likeness, plus a copy of the game itself.

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That might not seem like a lot of money given his pedigree, but why shouldn’t Manning benefit from his celebrity? It's not as if he isn’t putting in the same work as other Longhorns like Ewers and offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., who also are featured in the game.

Arch Manning waits for his UT opportunity

A football season is long, and injuries happen. As the latest quarterback off the Manning assembly line, Arch knows nothing other than how to put in the work. Ewers will be the starter against Colorado State in the opener, but we also understand that he hasn’t played a full season since his sophomore year at Southlake Carroll. He’s missed five games over the last two years, but the Longhorns, to their credit, went 4-1 in his absence.

At SEC media days in Dallas next week, Manning will remain in Austin as Ewers, Banks and defensive back Jahdae Barron join Sarkisian. He's refreshed after an offseason working on his mechanics and even his golf game. He and Uncle Eli lost big in a showdown against his brother Heid and Uncle Peyton on a family golf outing in May.

As for the fall, Arch is doing it the Manning Way. He’s a team guy whose preparation won’t differ as the starter or the backup.

“I made the decision to come to Texas to win games for them and do my best to contribute to the program,” he said. “That’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to stay loyal. Unless something terrible happens, I’m at Texas for the long run, and I’m glad I’m there.”

The Horns have huge expectations for their SEC debut, but when one listens to this young man speak with such maturity and clarity, the future is even brighter in the 512.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas quarterback Arch Manning changes mind on video game, looks ready