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By Matt Galatzan
Contributing Sports Writer
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The 2025 NFL Draft is over, but the 2026 NFL Draft projections have already begun.
One of the main early draws to the 2026 class so far is the expectation that the quarterback group is projected to be a much more talented group.
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That group is led by LaNorris Sellers, Cade Klubnik Drew Allar, Sam Leavitt and Garrett Nussmeier.
That said, the class has another potential addition to it, depending on his decision later down the line - Arch Manning.
Of course, if Manning does come out (which is likely not the case) he is expected to almost certainly be the No. 1 overall pick in most mock drafters' eyes.
However, according to reports from Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, some anonymous scouts are urging people to 'pump the breaks' on Manning.
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"I get that everyone's excited," an AFC college scouting director told Breer. "That run happened and people started talking—they're almost surprised with that last name that he has that speed, and the ability to generate big plays with his legs, and he gets transformed into this elite prospect. The reality is we haven't really seen him run the offense with any consistency yet. And that's not his fault, he just hasn't played."
"What are we looking at? You'd like to watch a quarterback in double-digit games to really evaluate them. ... At other positions, you might get a feel after watching four games and have a good idea of who a guy is. The quarterback position is much different, it requires a much larger bank of film. You want to see him against a variety of different looks. In college, the talent is not as concentrated, so you want to see him against an Alabama or a Georgia."
In a vacuum, all of these concerns and observations are certainly warranted.
Manning has only started two games in his college career. One came against Louisiana-Monroe, while the other was in the Longhorns SEC opener against Mississippi State.
He also showed signs of stardom against Colorado State and UTSA, but outside of those examples, the body of work is still not really there.
And according to a separate scout, Manning needs to prove himself over the course of an entire season, so the NFL can get a real idea of what a full body of work looks like for him.
"You just don't know until they're really playing," a different AFC college scouting director told Breer. "Right now, the body of work is too small. We've seen big guys with talent, the tools, the arm, that don't know how to process, and don't have the accuracy to all levels of the field consistently enough. What we have on [Manning] isn't nearly enough. You could guess, but that's really all you'll be doing—guessing."
Obviously ll of this hinges on whether or not Manning decides to leave the Longhorns after one season anyway - which again, is not expected to be the case.
Of course, there is always the chance that changes.
But as of right now, Manning is more likely to enter the 2027 NFL Draft rather than the 2026 draft.
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