Archie Manning Has Strong Words About Arch Manning’s 2026 NFL Draft Plans originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The buzz surrounding Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning has been steadily building for the past several years, dating all the way back to his recruitment as the No. 1 rated prospect in the 2023 class.

Arch Manning is widely considered the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft if he leaves the Texas Longhorns after the 2025 season. Will we seen the highly-hyped quarterback on an NFL sideline next fall? In the words of one legendary college football broadcaster: not so fast, my friend .

Various way-too-early 2026 NFL mock drafts have included Texas quarterback Arch Manning in the first round, which means the first-year starter for the Longhorns would have to leave school a year early for that to come to fruition.