NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Texas QB Arch Manning

Damian ParsonOct 12, 2025

Arch Manning is a talented and developing quarterback prospect with high upside. He

Manning is a 6'4 219-pound quarterback prospect who entered the Longhorns program as a 5-star recruit and the No. 1-ranked quarterback recruit from the 2023 class, per 247Sports. He has NFL bloodlines and pedigree as the grandson of Archie, nephew of Peyton, and Eli Manning.

Manning is in his first season as the full-time starter for Texas.

Dame Parson is the lead host of the Locked On NFL Draft podcast. He also serves as co-host of the Scouting Room NFL Podcast alongside Daniel Harms.

Where He Wins

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- Good height and size with the prototypical measurements to see the field behind the offensive line and in the pocket. It is not an issue for Manning to visually locate the throwing position while navigating the pocket.

- Possesses the arm strength to drive the football into tight windows. He will put good velocity and zip behind his passes in the short and intermediate areas of the field.

- Good athletic ability. He is a threat on QB-designed runs and will extend plays, breaking the pocket to create second-reaction throwing opportunities. Manning will put defenses in conflict for running high amounts of man coverage. He will run for first downs and bigger plays down the field.

- Pocket mobility and navigation to evade edge pressure and locate accessible throwing lanes down the field. Manning displays twitchy movements inside the pocket to avoid the rush, reset his feet, and deliver accurate passes.

- Manning's anticipation has developed well this season. He is becoming more comfortable throwing receivers to open spots away from their defensive assignments. He is placing more touch on throws later in the season to layer passes over the top of dropping defenders.

Areas of Improvement

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- Limited experience and time on task. Manning is still growing and developing. Despite the strides he's made, he is not ready to be a franchise quarterback.

- Dealing with pressure, he will drop his eyes to the rush and attempt to create with his legs before throwing dangerous passes into defender-loaded windows. Manning's accuracy and ball placement decrease under pressure. He struggles to negotiate quick backfield penetration consistently.

- Manning tends to miss easy, or layup throws, too often. His footwork is still a work in progress, leading to poorly placed passes and too many landing in the dirt or at his target's feet.