Browns Owner, GM Among NFL Personnel at Arch Manning, Texas vs. Jeremiah Smith, OSU

The matchup between No. 1 Texas and No. 3 Ohio State had the college football world buzzing on Saturday, but the NFL world was paying close attention as well.

With players like Arch Manning in action, a significant number of NFL personnel and scouts were in attendance, including Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and executive vice president of football operations and general manager Andrew Berry:

Manning is the headliner, in part because he is among the Heisman Trophy favorites and a player who very well could be the top overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft if he lives up to the immense expectations placed upon him. The Browns are loaded in future draft capital, including two first-round picks in April's draft (their own and Jacksonville's).

The Browns addressed quarterback at this year's draft with two picks, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Both will start the 2025 season as Joe Flacco's backup.

Granted, Manning isn't the only future pro between these Texas and Ohio State rosters. For the Buckeyes, safety Caleb Downs, linebackers Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese, wideout Carnell Tate, tight end Max Klare and edge-rusher Kenyatta Jackson Jr. are all players to watch ahead of the 2026 draft (not to mention wideout Jeremiah Smith and quarterback Julian Sayin, though neither is eligible just yet).

Texas, meanwhile, boasts linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., offensive tackle Trevor Goosby and wideout DeAndre Moore Jr., among others.

So a lot of the players in this Saturday matchup will be playing on Sundays soon enough. And that isn't even to mention the players who won't be eligible in 2026, like the aforementioned Smith and Sayin. It's easy enough to understand why NFL personnel flocked to this contest.