Arch Manning Will Return to Texas

Arch Manning is making his way back to Texas.

The Longhorns are set to compete against the University of Michigan in the Citrus Bowl later this month. Before this game, the young quarterback revealed he plans to stay in college for at least one more season. In a text to Dave Wilson, Cooper Manning shared, “Arch will be playing football at Texas next year.”

Without Manning in the mix, the current 2026 NFL mock draft outlook changes considerably. His choice will surely influence the dynamics for teams looking for quarterbacks in both 2026 and 2027.

Implications for the 2026 NFL Draft

So, what does Manning’s return mean for the upcoming draft?

Basically, teams seeking a quarterback will have fewer prospects to choose from.

Manning joins the ranks of other quarterbacks reconsidering their next steps. Recently, South Carolina’s Lanoris Sellers also declared he’d be returning for another college season, adding to this interesting quarterback class.

A lot of the pre-season excitement surrounding Manning faded as he struggled early on; Texas lost its season opener against Ohio State despite being ranked No. 1 nationally. In his performance, Manning faced challenges, particularly in a win against UTEP and a loss to Florida State, where he threw two interceptions.

However, he improved greatly in the latter half of the season. A standout performance against Vanderbilt featured three touchdowns, marking a significant win for Texas. While the team did not make it to the College Football Playoff, Manning’s prospects began to look better again, with evaluators speculating he could be a top draft pick if he had chosen to enter the draft.

Now, he’s back in school.

This leads us to consider the evolving quarterback class for 2026. Questions still remain. Many believe Fernando Mendoza, who recently claimed both the Big Ten Championship and the Heisman Trophy, might declare for the draft, potentially positioning him as a leading QB prospect.

Still, he has not made an official announcement.

Oregon’s Dante Moore is another name to watch, but he, too, has some eligibility left and has yet to reveal his plans.

Even if Mendoza and Moore decide to enter the draft, several teams—including the New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, and Cleveland Browns—are eyeing positions in the top ten that could lead to quarterback acquisitions. The Arizona Cardinals are also weighing their options concerning Kyler Murray, currently ranked sixth. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Saints seem content with Tyler Schau, but the Los Angeles Rams, who acquired a pick from the Falcons, may also be scouting their future quarterback.

It’s worth double-checking the figures, but there are clearly multiple teams in this conversation.

There are other potential contenders as well. Ty Simpson showed promise in mid-season but his inconsistent performances towards the end may lead him back to school instead of opting for the draft. Drew Allard faced injury setbacks that likely pushed him lower in the rankings. Garrett Nussmeyer’s season with LSU also saw struggles that affected his draft stock.

So, what’s the key takeaway here? Manning’s decision to stick around has thinned out what was already a weak QB class.

Of course, some quarterbacks still get picked in the pre-draft process, which has become quite common. It’s hard not to remember the hype around players like Nathan Peterman and Davis Webb during the Senior Bowl. But until we get closer to the draft, this class feels full of uncertainties.

Looking Ahead to the 2027 NFL Draft

Let’s fast forward a bit—assuming Manning stays on track and enters the 2027 NFL Draft, what might that mean?

On paper, this would create a more robust group.

With both Manning and Sellers back at school, at least they’re getting another year to develop their skills.

And they won’t be the only ones. The upcoming class might also include Heisman finalist Julian Sane, who showed strong potential in his first year at Ohio State. There’s also speculation about Notre Dame’s C.J. Carr joining the mix after an impressive inaugural season.

Future names could include Georgia’s Gunner Stockton and others, with various players exploring their options in the transfer portal. It raises questions about how deep this QB pool could become when we look toward 2027.

But then again, there’s still uncertainty. Will Simpson choose to stay or go? What about Moore? The decisions of these quarterbacks could impact the depth of the class significantly.

Manning’s return and the potential for a deeper quarterback group in 2027 present intriguing possibilities. Teams might be weighing whether to go all out for a pick now or hold off until the following year when the QB prospects look promising.

But as pointed out, risks are always in play here.

Development isn’t guaranteed, and while we might feel optimistic about the 2027 quarterback class now, things can change quickly. This time last year, the perception of the 2026 QB class looked solid, yet many players in that group faced challenges that impacted their draft stock.

In short, Manning’s choice enhances the perception that the 2027 quarterback class may be considerably more robust than 2026. Yet, will teams be prepared to wait it out?