Arch Manning No. 1 Pick in 2026 NFL Draft? ‘He’ll be at Texas,’ says Archie

Texas quarterback Arch Manning is a central talking point surrounding both the 2025 college football season and the 2026 NFL Draft. However, rampant speculation about the top recruit in the Class of 2023 entering the draft after his first full season as the Longhorns’ starting quarterback may be misguided.

“Arch isn’t going to do that [go to the draft]. He’ll be at Texas [in 2026],” Archie Manning told Texas Monthly about his grandson Arch Manning leaving Texas after the 2025 season.

Manning is the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft at +225, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Archie previously expressed “hope” that his grandson would play three seasons at Texas.

After just five pass attempts in 2023, Manning made two starts for Texas in 2024 and 10 appearances total as a redshirt freshman. Across those 10 combined appearances, Manning totaled 939 passing yards, nine passing touchdowns, two interceptions and a 184.0 passer rating, while completing 67.8% of his passes. He also rushed for 108 yards and four touchdowns, primarily being used as a rusher when entering the game for select plays behind starter Quinn Ewers.

Texas is coming off a 13-3 season that saw it reach the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Manning continues a long legacy of SEC quarterbacks in the family, as Archie Manning and Eli Manning (Arch’s uncle) starred at Ole Miss and Peyton Manning (Arch’s uncle) starred at Tennessee. Both Eli (2004) and Peyton (1998) were the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, while Archie was the No. 2 pick in the 1971 NFL Draft; Texas is entering its second season in the SEC.

Manning and the Lonhorns open the 2025 season with a headline matchup on Aug. 30, as they face the defending-champion Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus on “Big Noon Saturday” in a rematch of last season’s College Football Playoff semifinal round (12 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).

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