‘Arch (Manning) isn’t going to do that’ – Source close to the Texas star puts an end to preseason hype with a dose of reality
The Arch Manning NFL Draft hype just came to a halt.
The hype surrounding new Texas starting quarterback Arch Manning has reached some unrealistic proportions this offseason. Along with head coach Steve Sarkisian, most expect the redshirt sophomore passer to have a strong 2025 college football season, but with less than 100 passes on his resume, the Heisman Trophy hype does feel a bit unwarranted. Those types of expectations are going to come naturally with the Manning last name.
For the 2026 NFL Draft, many evaluators out there are also projecting Manning to potentially be the top overall selection. In the perfect world where the 6-4, 220-pound passer wins a National Championship, the Heisman, and the right team is selecting at the top, anything is possible, I suppose. It does feel like, however, that the more likely scenario is that Manning returns to Austin, Texas for the 2026 college football season, and becomes a part of the 2027 NFL Draft class with multiple years of starting experience under his belt.
Before there was Arch, there was his grandfather Archie Manning. An outstanding talent in his own right, Archie was once a star quarterback at Ole Miss and second overall selection by the New Orleans Saints in the 1971 NFL Draft. Arch’s grandfather made Arch’s future very well known in an interview with Texas Monthly. All the 2026 NFL Draft hype needs to stop.
“Arch isn’t going to do that,” Archie Manning said. “He’ll be at Texas.”
Whether you are talking about Archie, Arch’s father Cooper, or his uncles Eli and Peyton Manning, the family has always made very similar decisions concerning school. The two big points of emphasis are graduating from college, and having multiple years of starting experience under their belts before heading to the NFL. Accomplishing both of those goals is, without question, what is best for the talented young signal caller.
When you pull up a list of one-year starting quarterbacks who have made the jump to the NFL, you are going to see a group of signal callers that mostly includes players who flamed out quickly. Nobody wants to be the next Mark Sanchez or Mitch Trubisky. They want to be the next Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck.
In Manning’s case, he is in a great situation with the Longhorns. He is surrouded by a ton of receiving talent, a great scheme, and is paired with one of the best offensive minds in college football in Coach Sarkisian. Having the NFL Draft attention off of his back should be beneficial, even though it is unlikely folks stop including him in mock drafts, especially if Manning starts out hot this fall.
Regardless, getting some clarity is good in general. There is a lot to be excited about when talking about Manning, including a talented arm, and impressive overall athleticism, but letting him just play is best for the short term, and will set up for what the next steps ultimately are. Let’s enjoy the talented player for what he is right now, a young quarterback with worlds of potential, but a long way to go until he lives up to the high expectations.
Tennessee Volunteers News
‘I was considering doing it’ – It took just one conversation for Peyton Manning to pass on a job that fans wanted him to take
When Peyton Manning retired from the NFL after the 2015 season, many fans thought (and hoped) that the Tennessee Vols legend might follow in his father Archie’s footsteps. Archie Manning retired from the NFL in 1984 and immediately went to work as a color commentator for New Orleans Saints broadcasts (Archie also worked as a […]
