Alabama football pursuit of top quarterback recruit Arch Manning is heating up

TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 8: A general view of the Alabama Crimson Tide Helmet during the Head Coaches News Confernce before the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Tampa Convention Center on January 8, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 8: A general view of the Alabama Crimson Tide Helmet during the Head Coaches News Confernce before the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Tampa Convention Center on January 8, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)

The Alabama Crimson Tide are pursuing the next Manning family quarterback, Arch Manning, the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the Class of 2023.

247Sports unveiled their top 100 prospects for 2023, and a member of the “Royal Football Family” ranks towards the top of the list.

Third-generation quarterback Arch Manning ranked as the No. 5 overall prospect and the No. 1 quarterback in the Class of 2023. The hype around Manning has been going on for years, starting in his middle school playing games. Of course, the top football programs in the nation are going to heavily pursue Arch, and one SEC school might be getting a head start.

The Alabama Crimson Tide have already extended a scholarship offer to the Isidore Newman High School quarterback in hopes of securing his commitment. Alabama’s defensive coordinator, Pete Golding, is Manning’s primary recruiter.

Eight football programs have already extended offers to Arch Manning, including Alabama, Tennessee, LSU and Ole Miss

Alabama will have competition for Manning’s services, such as the LSU Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs, Texas Longhorns and UNC Tar Heels. Additionally, Tennessee and Ole Miss sent over a scholarship to the Manning family, both of whom had Peyton and Eli play their collegiate careers respectively. Finally, the Duke Blue Devils unsurprisingly entered the fray because of head coach David Cutcliffe, who worked with the second-generation Mannings in college.

The hype around Arch has been real, and he’s only played one season of high school football. In his freshman campaign at Newman High School, Manning completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 2,438 yards, 34 touchdowns and six interceptions, per MaxPreps. Besides the statistics, Manning led the team to a 9-1 record.

The expectation is that the Manning family will take things slow and listen to all offers. However, Manning’s head coach, Nelson Stewart, said they’re not just looking at the program, but also about building relationships with the coaching staff. Duke might have the early advantage in that because the Manning family hold Cutcliffe in such high regard. But, you can never rule out the recruiting powerhouse that is Alabama.

We’re not going to get an answer anytime soon, but you best believe that Alabama fans would celebrate if their program managed to land a Manning.

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