Is Arch Manning in 'EA Sports College Football 25?' Why Texas QB is reportedly sitting out of highly-anticipated game
Arch. Man. Ning. He's not in the game.
Over 10,000 student athletes have already opted into the wildly-anticipated "EA Sports College Football 25," but one of the sport's most recognizable backups has reportedly decided to sit out of the upcoming video game, per Orangebloods' Anwar Richardson.
Manning, the expected No. 2 QB on the Longhorns depth chart behind 2024 Heisman hopeful Quinn Ewers as a redshirt freshman, reportedly did not opt in to the game. That means Texas fans can expect to see "QB #16" on the Texas depth chart instead of "A. Manning," a name that exudes eminence in the football world.
Manning — who will be 19 in April and is the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning and son of Cooper Manning — is already one of college football's most valuable student athletes in terms of NIL. That likely made it a bit easier for the quarterback to pull his name out of the video game, which will have a ton of eyes upon come its release (which is still undetermined).
Why did Arch Manning opt out of "EA Sports College Football 25?"
Manning reportedly will sit out of "EA Sports College Football 25" because he is "focused on playing football on the field," per Orangebloods' Anwar Richardson.
A five-star recruit and 2023's top recruit by 247Sports composite, Manning immediately became one of college football's most valuable student athletes upon joining the Longhorns last season.
REQUIRED READING: Xavier Worthy: Fastest man in football? What to know about the NFL combine record holder
"EA Sports College Football 25" NIL incentive
When dealing with a pool as large as "EA Sports College Football 25" was, the NIL incentive was bound to be relatively paltry.
Players who opted into the game earned $600 and a copy of the game ($70 retail value, though there are likely to be multiple editions and it's unclear what edition players would get in that case). As of this week, over 10,000 players had reportedly accepted the incentive.
Arch Manning NIL value
According to On3 NIL, Manning is already the fifth highest-paid player in NIL at $2.8 million.
Here's a look at the top five student athletes by NIL:
Bronny James, USC (basketball): $5 million
Shedeur Sanders, Colorado (football): $4.7 million
Livvy Dunne, LSU (gymnastics): $3.5 million
Caitlin Clark, Iowa (basketball): $3.1 million
Arch Manning, Texas (football): $2.8 million
In prior "NCAA College Football" games, Electronic Arts circumvented the ban on student athlete likenesses by depicting them as "Position, Number." That is likely how Manning will appear in the game when it releases.
When does "EA Sports College Football 25" release?
"EA Sports College Football 25," the first iteration of the beloved franchise since 2013's "NCAA College Football 14" (featuring Denard Robinson on the cover), does not yet have an official release date.
It is expected to release in the summer ahead of the 2024 season. A trailer has already been teased for May.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Why Arch Manning is sitting out of 'EA Sports College Football 25'
