5 Arch Manning transfer destinations if Quinn Ewers returns to Texas

4. Could the UNC Tar Heels replace Drake Maye with Arch Manning?

North Carolina might be watching the greatest quarterback in program history at the helm of the offense right now with Drake Maye running the show. As a result of that, though, Maye is almost 100% gone for the NFL after this season as he's projected to be a Top 5 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. That then leaves UNC and head coach Mack Brown in a bit of a conundrum moving beyond the 2023 season.

Former 3-star Jefferson Boaz will be a senior but hasn't inspired much confidence to this point but current freshman Tad Hudson, a former 4-star recruit, does have some interest piqued for the future. And maybe Brown is content simply handing the reins to Hudson and not looking back from there.

But then again, maybe he wants to truly keep this thing rolling in Chapel Hill -- and that might require a bigger swing like Arch Manning.

UNC offered Manning out of high school, though the Tar Heels weren't ever in serious consideration from the No. 1 recruit in the 2023 class. Given the way that Brown has reshaped the program and had North Carolina on the precipice of and ACC Championship (though certainly missing out still thanks to Gene Chizik) perhaps Manning would be more enticed this time around should he enter the portal.

Given the way that the Heels have built up the stock of Maye, though, an argument could be made that North Carolina looks much more enticing nowadays than they did even a year or two ago.