Arch Manning Isn't 'Generational' to Exec, Comparison Revealed Ahead of 2027 NFL Draft

Arch Manning is no stranger to the spotlight as the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning and the quarterback of the Texas Longhorns. 

But that spotlight is going to get even brighter during the 2026 college football season with the 2027 NFL draft looming. While Manning is widely expected to be a top pick, one NFL assistant general manager was hesitant to call him a "generational" prospect at this point.

"He's a good quarterback prospect—6' 4", athletic, can run, has plus arm talent but not special arm talent, and has improved every year," the assistant general manager told Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. 

"The last name is putting the 'generational' thing on him, and I don't think he's that. His decision-making under duress is still iffy and needs work; he runs hot and cold with his accuracy. He can make pinpoint throws, but consistently misses on in-cuts, digs and slants."

The assistant general manager also highlighted Andrew Luck as someone who was more of a surefire prospect heading into the draft.

"You'll bet on the kid because of the pedigree, but he's not in the Andrew Luck category. How I'd look at it: Luck was freaky smart, a freaky athlete. The floor was extremely high, the failure rate really low. Arch doesn't have a low floor, but it's definitely lower than that. And he has a ceiling that could match Luck's—the true physical ability could match it. But some of the QB-specific play, he's not there yet."

ARCH 60-YARD TD RUN

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Last season was Manning's first as a full-time starter, and the questions started immediately when he led Texas to just seven points in a loss to Ohio State to begin the campaign.

Yet that game was on the road against a Buckeyes defense that was loaded with eventual first-round draft picks in Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese and finished the season first in the country in points allowed per game. It was a daunting way to begin one's first season as a starter to say the least, and he demonstrated notable improvement as the campaign unfolded.

Manning ended up completing 61.4 percent of his passes for 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions while adding 399 yards and 10 scores on the ground. Another assistant general manager saw some Justin Herbert in Manning with the combination of size and athleticism.

"You had to project with Herbert some, but he was a big athlete, a good dude," the assistant general manager said. "That's a pretty good comp."

At this point, B/R's NFL Scouting Department projected the Texas signal-caller to be the No. 2 overall pick in an early 2027 mock draft. But if he lives up to the sky-high expectations and has the Longhorns in the fight for a national championship, it would be anything but surprising if he ended up as the No. 1 pick.

Even if some around the NFL don't see him as "generational" quite yet.