NEW ORLEANS, La. — For folks that want an early preview of the possible 2026 Heisman Trophy race, Nicholls State University in Thibodaux may provide the best opportunity considering the talent that will serve as counselors at this week’s Manning Passing Academy.

At least until actual football starts getting played at the end of the summer.

Arch Manning of Texas football headlines the bunch, considering his family lineage as well as his status as the starting quarterback for one of the preseason contenders. But there’s plenty more star power among this year’s counselors.

CJ Carr of Notre Dame, Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss, Julian Sayin of Ohio State will join Manning and the 20 or so other quarterbacks serving as camp instructors. All are among the top Heisman favorites.

Here’s what to know about the Manning Passing Academy, which runs from Thursday-Sunday at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.

It’s a four-day clinic for high school football players that was founded in 1996 by Archie Manning, the former star quarterback at Ole Miss and with the New Orleans Saints and the patriarch of the most famous football family in the nation. That kin includes former NFL star quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Eli Manning as well as Arch, Archie’s grandson and the nephew of Peyton and Eli.

All the Mannings, including Arch’s father, Cooper, traditionally serve as hosts at the camp.

A former camper himself, Manning now serves as an instructor for the hundreds of youth players at the camp. He’ll also serve as a host of sorts for his peers, considering Manning grew up about an hour up the bayou from Thibodaux in New Orleans.

Oh, and Manning will face off with the other counselors in a much-anticipated — and very relaxed — skills competition Friday night.

In addition to Manning and the other top Heisman Trophy contenders, other confirmed counselors include Marcel Reed of Texas A&M, Steve Angeli of Syracuse, Bear Bachmeier of BYU, CJ Bailey of NC State, Ryan Browne of Purdue, Noah Fifita of Arizona, Kevin Jennings of SMU, Kyle Lowe of Southeastern Louisiana, Jayden Maiava of USC, Owen McCown of UTSA, Alberto Mendoza of Georgia Tech, Jaron-Keawe Sogapolutele of California, Gunner Stockton of Georgia, KaMario Taylor of Mississippi State, Conner Weigman of Houston and Demond Williams of Washington.

Indiana’s Josh Hoover, LSU’s Sam Leavitt, Miami’s Darian Mensah, Oregon’s Dante Moore and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers were invited but aren’t expected to attend, and former Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby recently withdrew as a counselor after his controversial suspension following gambling accusations.