The Texas Longhorns did not have the season they expected to have behind the talent of quarterback Arch Manning, who happens to be the nephew of NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning. Arch struggled in his first season as the Longhorns’ full-time starter, especially in the first half of the season, and the Longhorns went 9-3 on the campaign, missing the College Football Playoff.
It was a shocking wake-up call for Manning, who was touted as the number one quarterback in the 2026 draft class, should he decide to enter the draft early by NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.
“We put him at No. 1 because we have to. It’s Arch Manning. We saw glimpses last year of the greatness he could provide that Texas offense. Running the football, he’s got great legs. Cooper Manning, his father, was a wide receiver until he got injured. So he’s got speed – something Eli and Peyton didn’t have…” Kiper said at the time.
However, Manning’s play over the season has changed the way that fans view him. Shockingly, FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano has revealed that one scout has decided to keep Manning at the top of the class even in light of how this season went.
“He might still go No. 1 [overall],” one college scout told Vacchiano. “All the tools are there, even if the performance was erratic. He might need a little time to grow into himself as a player. But he’s got the size (6-foot-4, 219 pounds), the arm, the intangibles, and the kid had some great games.
“I think I’d still feel better about his future than anyone else in this year’s class.”
Others around the field had similar reactions to Manning’s looming decision on whether to declare, which, shockingly, is going to be much harder for him to make than many anticipated.
“Talent,” an NFC executive said. “He never lost that. It’s what all the hype was about from the beginning, and it’s still there. It’s not alarming that he was inconsistent in his first year as a starter in the SEC. It’s perfectly normal. The expectations were probably way too high, anyway.
“But his arm, his head, his feet, his overall ability. I can still see every bit of it.”
“There was obvious improvement as the season went along,” an AFC scout said. “It wasn’t always easy to tell because his offensive line was shaky, and they had trouble running the ball. But you could tell he doesn’t panic. His ball placement was off at times, but not a lot. And that improved, too.”
“If you forget what you expected at the beginning of the season, you’ll see a really good prospect,” another scout told Vacchiano. “I’m sure some are disappointed. But you’ll only feel that way if you’re measuring him against what you thought he was supposed to be.”
It’ll be interesting to see if Manning does end up declaring.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.