Although Arch Manning has but to spend a full season as a beginning quarterback, many mock 2026 NFL Drafts have the younger Texas star going off the board at No. 1 total. Hype is nothing new for Manning, who bears the identify of soccer royalty.
He is been one of the ballyhooed athletes within the nation since he emerged as the highest total prospect within the 2023 recruiting class. The truth that he is spent the final couple of years totally on the bench behind Quinn Ewers has executed nothing to decrease the thrill.
With Manning set to take full management of Texas’ offense in 2025, the noise has ratcheted up considerably. He is an early Heisman Trophy favourite and, with great expertise round him, Manning and the Longhorns have their eyes set on a School Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship run.
Past that, projections and prospect rankings have already included him within the crop of 2026 NFL Draft hopefuls; however will he really go away school early?
Just like the hype, hypothesis about Manning’s future is nothing new. Many assumed that he would switch after failing to search out constant enjoying time in his first two years at Texas. As a substitute, he waited patiently for his alternative.
He is solely tried 95 passes and thrown for lower than 1,000 yards as a collegiate quarterback. He’ll have each alternative to place out nice tape subsequent yr, {and professional} groups are nearly actually already considering Manning, no matter when he declares, however there’s advantage to including to his physique of labor.
It actually would not be unprecedented for Manning to spurn the draft. His uncle, Peyton, elected to return for his senior marketing campaign at Tennessee in 1997 despite the truth that he had already been a starter for two seasons and plenty of noticed him as a top-10 decide within the 1997 NFL Draft. Manning had a profession yr with the Vols and was chosen first total in 1998.
Arch’s different (fairly) notable uncle, Eli, spent 5 years in school at Ole Miss. He was the 2003 SEC Offensive Participant of the 12 months as a fifth-year senior and, like Peyton, went first total within the 2004 NFL Draft.
Like Horns247’s Chip Brown factors out, neither Peyton nor Eli benefitted from identify, picture and likeness in school. The youthful Manning already has.
“Arch has already landed high-end NIL offers with Pink Bull, Waymo, and Panini America,” Brown wrote. “Monetary urgency is not an element.”
Whereas Manning’s NIL bundle seemingly is not similar to the virtually $8 million annual NFL wage commanded by the No. 1 decide — a determine that climbs with every passing yr — it is actually greater than sufficient to get by for a school scholar that is already on scholarship.
Manning additionally comes from a financially sound household with a long time {of professional} soccer, sponsorships and media offers rising their private wealth. The purpose is, there isn’t any financial stress to depart early.
Manning can really wait till he is prepared. If that occurs to be 2026 after one yr of Texas’ beginning quarterback, then early indicators recommend his resolution can be sound. Even when he waits till 2027, it is exhausting to see his draft inventory taking an enormous hit.
Quarterbacks to control for 2026
Although Manning is the tentative high quarterback prospect within the 2026 NFL Draft, there’s a couple of names that might vie for the No. 1 slot if Manning elects to spend a fourth yr in Austin.
LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier spurned the 2025 NFL Draft, the place he may have been a excessive decide, to return for a fifth yr with the Tigers after his first full season as a starter. He boasts a great body and a giant arm that may ship the ball to all ranges of the sector.
Penn State’s Drew Allar made the same resolution, although he has 29 video games of beginning expertise in three years with the Nittany Lions. He additionally has the same construct as Nussmeier, together with his personal share of arm expertise.
Former Georgia starter Carson Beck transferred to Miami after spurning the draft for his sixth yr of school soccer. A comparatively disappointing 2024 season, wherein he tied for the SEC lead with 12 interceptions, helped spark his resolution.
Then there’s LaNorris Sellers who, not like the opposite quarterbacks listed, is not really draft eligible till after the 2025 season. He was a first-year starter for the Gamecocks in 2024 and flashed his expertise by throwing for two,274 yards and 17 touchdowns. He additionally added 655 yards and 7 touchdowns speeding. Sellers could also be one of the intriguing athletes within the 2026 class. His upside is immense.
The 2026 quarterback class is shaping as much as be a deep area, whether or not Manning’s concerned or not.
