Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is viewed as one of the best players entering the 2025 college football season. He's been on the NFL's radar for years with teams hoping he declares for the 2026 NFL Draft. Just under a year out from the decision being made, many around the league believe they know he'll do.
Jeff Howe of The Athletic spoke to five NFL executives and scouts regarding Manning and the 2026 NFL Draft. All of them either predicted or are 'leaning in the direction of predicting' that Manning will play for the Longhorns in 2026 rather than head to the NFL.
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Arch Manning stats ( ESPN ):939 passing yards, 9-2 TD-INT, 67.8% completion rate, 9.2 ypa in 2024
Coming out of Isidore Newman School in New Orleans , Louisiana, Manning was rated by 247 Sports and On3.com as the best player in the 2023 recruiting class. While he had compelling offers from the likes of Ole Miss, Georgia and Alabama, he chose to sit behind Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers for two seasons.
With Ewers now in the NFL, Manning takes over as the Longhorns' starting quarterback in 2025. Despite having only attempted 95 passes in two college seasons, he is widely viewed as the best eligible prospect a year out from the 2026 NFL Draft.
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However, the Manning family has made it pretty clear they would like to see him be a full-time starter for two full seasons. That would mean bypassing the 2026 NFL Draft, returning to Texas for his senior season. While it might cost him a few million dollars early, the family does believe it's the best thing for his future.
One interesting wrinkle could be if the New Orleans Saints have the first overall pick in 2026. While the franchise is seemingly in need of a rebuild, Manning would get to return to New Orleans as the face of Louisiana's NFL franchise. It's at least possible a homecoming could be the one thing that at least makes the Manning family consider having Arch enter the NFL Draft in 2026.
