Three Predictions: Arch Manning, USC, D.J. Giddens
Rivals national recruiting analyst John Garcia Jr. has predictions on Arch Manning‘s future beyond the 2025 season, USC‘s finish in the Rivals team recruiting rankings and the biggest fifth-round steal of the NFL Draft.
ARCH MANNING WON’T BE PART OF THE 2026 NFL DRAFT
Arch Manning buzz is already rolling, from Heisman and/or CFP talk at Texas to the possibility of him landing at the top of the NFL Draft next offseason. But here’s the thing – there is far from a guarantee Manning comes out after his first year as the Longhorns’ starter. Let’s first look back at his famous quarterbacking uncles, who each stayed all four years at their SEC programs despite plenty of hype and reason to declare sooner. They’re of the same camp managing the latest Manning hype, so why rush the inevitable?
A plus-one to the no-rush scenario is the new-look college football era we’re experiencing. Manning is, by any and all indication, in great financial shape before he ever earned the starting gig for Steve Sarkisian. He was also the only elite quarterback not to bail from his initial college program when he wasn’t given the keys to the offense as an underclassman.
There are so many crumbs of evidence suggesting he will stick around for another run in Austin, and that argument could be strengthened further depending on the outcome of the season.
Another playoff run falling short provides all the motivation to return as does a run at the championship itself – where Manning will have a chance to defend it in 2026.
USC WILL NOT FINISH WITH THE NO. 1 RECRUITING CLASS
The Trojans are scorching hot on the recruiting trail at the moment. IMG’s next great offensive lineman Keenyi Pepe just joined the fold and by the time this is read to wrap up the week, USC may even have its first five-star in the 2026 class in the fold as well. It has created a monster gap in the team recruiting rankings, as one would expect from 25-plus verbal commitments in the fold by early May. No other program in the top 25 holds more than 14 verbal commitments to date.
So while USC has sprinted toward offseason momentum yet again, the traditional recruiting powers are gearing up to begin their own runs. LSU holds the highest average star rating per commitment nationally, sitting at 4.2, but the Tigers only hold 10 commitments. Oregon leads seven other teams sitting at 4.0 or better and USC isn’t one of them as of this writing. Notre Dame is heating up in Texas and beyond. Ohio State has just 11 commitments. Georgia and Alabama have a combined 12.
Official visit season – and then the actual season – looms ahead on the calendar and it usually means considerable shuffle on the trail. The Trojans are owning the spring, but the other bluebloods will take the torch from there and it would present as a surprise if Lincoln Riley‘s bunch finishes atop the Big Ten, much less the nation.
DJ GIDDENS WILL BE VIEWED AS A FIFTH-ROUND DRAFT STEAL
All the talk surrounding the fifth round of the NFL Draft went toward a certain quarterback falling to the Cleveland Browns, but there were some other skill position players taken in that range that may create a larger impact in 2025. Jim Harbaugh‘s Chargers bringing in a reliable flex tight end like Orange Gadsden II makes too much sense on the list, but the name that really pops out in looking back is DJ Giddens out of Kansas State.
The running back heads to the Indianapolis Colts where he will work to complement star Jonathan Taylor in the backfield. In terms of style, this is the exact type of back that should not only spell Taylor when he needs a break, but Giddens’ three-down skill set could also pair with Taylor on critical downs to create mismatches.
The savvy and slashing back has legitimate moves and wiggle in space and he can more than hold his own in the passing game having caught 50 passes since the 2023 season began.
The quarterback position may be a mess in Indy, but the future of the backfield looks as intriguing as any stable in the league with this score.
