Steve Sarkisian Makes Bold Prediction About Arch Manning's NFL Future
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is the top-ranked prospect on way-too-early 2027 NFL Draft boards, a likely place for a Manning to be.
Manning is the grandson of Archie Manning and nephew of Eli and Peyton Manning. His father, Cooper Manning, was a star wide receiver in high school before spinal stenosis ended his football career.
He also entering just his second year as the Longhorns’ starter, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian pumped the brakes on all the “Tank for Arch” talk.
“We haven’t had the discussion, but I will tell you I would not be surprised,” Sarkisian told Adams on “Up & Adams” on Monday. “I think Arch really loves college football. I really do. I think he loves the University of Texas. He does pretty good through NIL. You know, he’s got some pretty good endorsements going right now, which is a credit to him and, obviously, the lineage of the last name, and the brand of the University of Texas.”
Sarkisian added, “On the same token, I won’t be surprised if he declares and decides to go in the draft. But I think some of that is dependent upon how we play as a team this fall, how he plays individually. Knock on wood, injury-free football.”
If they didn’t already know, Manning and Sarkisian learned how useless preseason chatter is last year. Texas was the preseason No. 1 in the AP Top 25, a program first, and Manning was the preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. The Longhorns finished with a 10-3 record, but they missed the College Football Playoff, while Manning got off to an extremely shaky start and, despite a strong finish, didn’t sniff the Heisman.
"I think I could have had more fun," Manning said in April of his 2025 campaign, per ESPN's Dave Wilson. "The first half of the season, I was pissed. I wasn’t playing well, and it wasn’t fun for me. And then I kind of sort of said screw it and had a little more fun and started winning some games."
Manning justified all the hype with his final performance of last season. He threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns in the Longhorns’ blowout win over Michigan in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.
Manning underwent offseason foot surgery but told Wilson he felt “100%” two months ago, so his health combined with a full season’s worth of experience, he’s in good position to set college football on fire in 2026.
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This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 6:44 PM.