Steve Sarkisian and Arch Manning have a chance to do what Deion Sanders simply cannot

With the amount of college football coaches being tied to NFL jobs, there is a chance we could see more guys like Jim Harbaugh have success at both levels. While college head coaches like Matt Campbell, Marcus Freeman and Mike Locksley have been tied to some NFL opportunities, the one head coach I like to work out the best at the next level would have to be Steve Sarkisian at Texas.

Sarkisian runs a pro-style offense that translates to the NFL. He may have been the architect of Fourth-and-Sark in the 2017 NFC Playoffs for my Atlanta Falcons, just like he goofed with the play-calling down seven vs. Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. However, I feel that his offensive mindedness and ability to be a CEO-type is why he could work in the NFL. The question is who is his quarterback.

While it probably will not be Quinn Ewers, there is a chance it could be Arch Manning in a year or so. With Manning taking over for Ewers under center next season, that would give him at least one full year's worth of starts, possibly two if he decides to stay in school for the 2026 college season. By that time, maybe there is a chance that Manning and Sarkisian leave for the NFL "together" in 2027?

All I know is them working together in the NFL is more likely than Deion Sanders coaching Shedeur.

Steve Sarkisian may conceivably coach Arch Manning in NFL after Texas

To me, this is all about having a much longer runway than the dynamic father/son duo over at Colorado. Shedeur Sanders is slated to be a top-five pick as one of the first two quarterbacks off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft. He seems like a candidate to play for someone like the Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders or New York Giants. Only the Raiders have a head-coaching opening.

More importantly, the Raiders do not seem interested in hiring Coach Prime. If any team decides to pursue him, it might be one of his former teams in the Dallas Cowboys. Unfortunately for his son, the Cowboys already have a well-paid franchise quarterback in Dak Prescott. Unless Dallas wants to trade away its depreciating asset, it is hard to envision a scenario in which Sanders coaches his son.

As far as Sarkisian and Manning partnering up again in the NFL, do not count on it happening in 2026. This is because the Mannings will want Arch to spend four years in college. Plus, he needs at least two year's worth of starts to have any real shot of being a great NFL quarterback. That is why all eyes are on 2027. That may be enough time for Sarkisian to win the College Football Playoff and move on.

Right now, forecasting what franchises could conceivably hire Sarkisian as their next head coach and then draft Manning is a losing proposition. It should be noted that if Sarkisian leaves Texas before Manning does, there is no way on god's green earth the Mannings will let Arch play for Sarkisian again. They carry so much leverage. They made the Chargers trade away Eli Manning on draft day.

The chance of Manning playing for Sarkisian in the NFL is fair, but let's see them shine at Texas first.