Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is a member of football royalty. That comes with its perks and drawbacks.
On Monday, ESPN’s Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr. released their QB preseason rankings for the 2027 NFL Draft (scheduled April 29-May 1 in Washington). They listed Manning, the nephew of Super Bowl champions Peyton and Eli and grandson of 1971 No. 2 pick Archie, at No. 2 behind Oregon Ducks QB Dante Moore (6-foot-3, 206 pounds). (Note: Arch Manning has one more year of eligibility after the 2026 season, but he’s widely expected to turn pro after it ends.)
Yates noted Arch Manning’s last name should work in his favor throughout the predraft process. Some scouts and NFL general managers will assume he’s destined for greatness because of his family lineage. That said, his last name may also work against the Texas QB.
How Arch Manning’s last name could be a double-edged sword
“Being a Manning puts a different level of pressure on you than any other QB,” Yates said. “If Arch Manning throws two interceptions in Texas’ biggest game early on in the season, and Dante Moore has a tough game as well, I think ‘SportsCenter,’ ‘Get Up’ and ‘First Take’ are more likely to talk about Manning than Moore.”
This has already happened. Heading into the 2025 season, sportsbooks and draft aficionados tabbed Arch Manning as the favorite to go No. 1 overall in the 2026 draft. That was silly, considering he had only started two games in place of an injured Quinn Ewers in his first two seasons at Texas.
His inexperience didn’t stop media members and others from slamming Arch Manning, 22, when he struggled early in the season. The Athletic labeled him as college football’s first flop after completing a below-average 60 percent of his passes and going 3-2 in his first five starts. The title was hasty.
Arch Manning finished the season strong, going 7-1 in his last eight starts and throwing for three or more TD passes in three games. That culminated in a 41-27 win over the Michigan Wolverines in the Citrus Bowl, in which he logged four TDs (two passing and two rushing).
