Arch Manning No. 1? ESPN’s Field Yates explains why he has Texas QB going first in 2026 NFL Draft
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Arch Manning hasn’t even entered his first full year as the Texas Longhorns‘ QB1 and his future is already a hotly debated topic.
Will the Texas star return to school in 2026 or will he enter the NFL Draft? Arch’s grandfather, Archie Manning, recently walked back comments that he made about his grandson’s future, leaving the door open to the 2026 draft again.
ESPN analyst Field Yates released his 2026 NFL Draft Round 1 projections on Wednesday and he has Arch Manning going No. 1 to the Cleveland Browns (1 of 11 SEC stars he has in the first 32 picks). Here’s what Yates had to say about the decision to place the Texas QB in the top spot:
Yes, Archie Manning recently stated that his grandson will stay at Texas for at least two seasons, a belief many in the scouting community share. But ultimately, Arch is eligible to declare in 2026, and if he performs up to his potential, he might just have to consider the NFL leap in this coming draft class. So I’m including him … for now.
Manning has a very good build, throws with accuracy to all levels of the field and shows solid movement traits. He’s a different QB than his uncles Peyton and Eli were in that he is a threat with his legs. He is inexperienced and needs to add more weight to his 6-foot-4 frame, but it’s easy to see his immense ceiling. I know the Browns just drafted two passers this year, but if they are picking first overall next year, then yes, they’ll be taking a quarterback.
Again, Manning is only now entering his first full year as the Longhorns’ starter. He made a couple of starts when Quinn Ewers was injured last year, but his college sample size is small to this point.
He’ll have a chance to burst onto the NFL Draft scene in a big way on Saturday, Aug. 30, when the Longhorns visit the reigning-champion Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
