The Manning Passing Academy is never the place to crown draft kings or hand out NFL invitations. It is, though, a sharp place to watch college quarterbacks in the same setting and get a real feel for who is trending, who is still growing and who simply looks different.
Arch Manning was the biggest name in Thibodaux, Louisiana, and he delivered the kind of showing that fits the moment he’s in. But he was far from the only quarterback worth watching.
Julian Sayin flashed more arm life than usual. KaMario Taylor turned heads in a big way.
CJ Bailey and Trinidad Chambliss drew attention just by walking onto the field. CJ Carr looked like the most complete operator there.
And USC’s Jayden Maiava left a few questions hanging.
Manning’s place in all of this is pretty clear. He is entering his fourth year of college and his second season as Texas’ full-time starter, and the picture still looks like a quarterback on schedule.
The physical tools are obvious. He has the look of a future Day 1 draft pick.
But this weekend also reinforced that he is still building toward the kind of passing consistency that would let him step into the NFL and handle it right away. There has been chatter about a possible return after 2026, but if his late-season 2025 form keeps moving forward, it sounds like the next stop is the Sunday ranks.
He just didn’t look like someone who could start an NFL game today.
If there was one quarterback who forced everyone to look up from the notebook, it was KaMario Taylor. At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, the Mississippi State quarterback is a rare athlete with a powerful frame and explosive arm strength that stood out above everyone else in attendance.
Taylor was already a highly regarded signee for Mississippi State, and he showed why. He has the tools to become one of the most electric players in college football if his passing continues to come along while he keeps stressing defenses as a runner.
He made two starts in 2025 and already gave Bulldogs fans plenty to dream on.
Julian Sayin also left with more buzz than he arrived with. His season had already put him in the Heisman Trophy mix before Indiana got to him in the Big Ten Championship, where he went 21-for-29 with an interception in Ohio State’s loss.
Miami then turned up the heat in the College Football Playoff, and Sayin’s numbers reflected it: a 63 completion percentage, two interceptions and five sacks. That history makes the next step important, especially with a Week 2 trip to Texas still ahead.
Even so, this weekend suggested more than the usual “polished” or “accurate” label. His throws carried more zip and pop, and that matters for a quarterback whose intelligence and intangibles have never been in doubt.
A couple of other passers stood out the moment you saw them. NC State’s CJ Bailey, listed at 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, has the kind of long, athletic build that immediately brings Joe Milton to mind.
Bailey is not quite as physically developed as Milton was at the same stage, but he already shows a better feel for the position in his third year while he continues to add strength to a lean frame. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss also caught the eye, even if his listed 6-foot-1 height feels generous.
He looks closer to 5-foot-11, but he’s built with a sturdy lower half that fits the Russell Wilson comparison from a frame standpoint.
Not everyone popped. USC’s Jayden Maiava, in particular, did not separate himself in the way some of the others did.
There is always caution attached to judging quarterbacks at an event like this, but his arm strength stood out as an issue. The ball does not really explode out of his hand, especially when stacked up against the rest of the field, and he can struggle to drive the ball consistently to the intermediate and deep areas.
With his name already floating around as a potential 2027 NFL Draft prospect, that will be a key area to watch.
And if the question is which quarterback looked ready to run an offense right now, the answer was CJ Carr. The Notre Dame sophomore has carried himself like a veteran since high school, and that same calm showed up again here.
His session was built on sharp accuracy, clean mechanics and a quick release. In a field full of intriguing traits, Carr was the one who looked the most naturally prepared to take the next snap and keep moving the offense.