Arch Manning Ranked as Mel Kiper's Top 2026 NFL Draft QB Prospect Amid Texas Rumors

Texas quarterback Arch Manning was ranked as the No. 1 quarterback prospect of the 2026 NFL Draft class in a Wednesday episode of ESPN's First Draft with Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates.

"We put him No. 1 because we almost have to. It's Arch Manning," Kiper said at the 3:20 mark of the episode. "We saw glimpses last year of the greatness he could provide that Texas offense, right?"

Kiper continued, "He's got speed, something Eli and Peyton didn't have. He can run. He can elude... what he was able to do throwing the football at all levels, the arm strength, the touch he showed.

"So, we're looking ahead to what he could be, but we don't know if he will develop into that, because he only has 95 pass attempts."

Manning is heading into his first campaign as a Week 1 starter following Quinn Ewers' departure for the NFL.

He appeared in 10 games as Ewers' backup during his second season with the Longhorns, during which he went 61-for-95 with 939 passing yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions.

The 21-year-old also added 108 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns to cap off his second college campaign.

It is not yet clear if Manning, who will be eligible for the draft next spring, plans to enter the NFL after just one season as a college starter. Interestingly, his grandfather, Archie Manning, recently suggested he expects Arch to stay in school rather than enter the 2026 NFL draft.

He will have three years of college eligibility remaining after this season thanks to his redshirt freshman campaign, and a Texas team led by up-and-coming stars like incoming sophomore Ryan Wingo could remain highly competitive in 2026.

NFL scouts will have their eyes on Manning's first full campaign as a starter this fall as draft boards begin to take shape ahead of the 2026 season.