Arch Manning's NFL Draft Stock Discussed by Scout Had Texas QB Declared for 2026 Class

Texas quarterback Arch Manning will be returning to the Longhorns for his junior season, but he might have heard his name called early in the 2026 NFL draft if he chose to enter it.

An NFL scout told On3.com's Chris Low that Manning would have "almost certainly" been a first-round pick if he declared for the draft following his 2025 campaign.

Low added:

Manning's father, Cooper, confirmed that his son never considered leaving the Longhorns for the NFL.

"It was never discussed in any way, shape or form," Cooper told Low.

Arch is coming off a 2025 season in which he showed promise after navigating through some inconsistency to open the year.

Through his first five games, he completed 60.0 percent of his throws for 1,151 yards and 11 touchdowns to go along with five interceptions. Texas owned a 3-2 record over that span.

However, Manning threw for 2,012 yards and 15 touchdowns compared to just two interceptions while posting a 62.1 completion percentage over his next eight starts. The Longhorns won seven of their final eight contests.

Still, it's understandable for Manning to return to Texas and gain more experience after primarily operating as a backup in 2023 and 2024.

He'll enter next season as one of the top prospects in the 2027 draft cycle, though.