Teams that want to draft a quarterback in the NFL Draft in 2026 will unfortunately have to forego the greatest talent in this potential class.
Arch Manning, who is considered the greatest quarterback talent in college football, will stay in college for another year and will also play for the Texas Longhorns in 2026. His father Cooper Manning, the brother of former NFL star quarterbacks Peyton and Eli, confirmed this to “ESPN” on Monday.
A text message to reporter Dave Wilson said: “Arch will be playing football in Texas next year.” In addition, school officials told ESPN that they had always assumed that Manning would stick around for at least another year.
Manning, who began his career at Texas as a redshirt freshman in 2023, started a season as a starter for the first time in 2025 after serving as a backup behind Quinn Ewers in 2024. Since he has already spent three years at college, he could have declared for the NFL draft as early as 2026. He is expected to play at college even into the 2027 season.
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Texas coach welcomes Manning’s stay
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian had previously advocated for Manning to stay at a media event on the occasion of the Citrus Bowl, which Texas will play against Michigan on New Year’s Eve. The coach said: “He’s a young man who’s gotten better and better over the course of the season – not just physically, but mentally and in his maturity. I think he’s going to want another year of that development to put himself in a position to hopefully have a long career in the NFL. And he still has unfinished business here in terms of what he came here to do and what he set out to achieve.”
Sarkisian added: “We had a really good football season. However, we left something behind because we had a chance to be SEC Champions and National Champions. And ultimately, I think the competitor in him will say, ‘I would really like to have the opportunity to do those same things again.'”
In his first season as a starter, Manning threw for 2,942 yards and 24 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He also ran for eight touchdowns himself.
Manning is considered a future first overall pick in the NFL Draft and would follow in the footsteps of his famous uncles. Hall of Famer Peyton Manning was the first overall pick in the 1998 draft (Colts), while Eli Manning was drafted first overall in 2004 by the San Diego Chargers and then promptly traded to the New York Giants for Philip Rivers. Grandfather Archie Manning, on the other hand, was the second overall pick in the 1971 draft by the New Orleans Saints.
