Woah! Looks like the SEC Media Days did not give Texas Longhorns fans any dull moments. Anyway, the Longhorns quarterback, Arch Manning, holds a special place in the ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum’s heart. Even having one tough heart to woo, Finebaum declared Manning the greatest college quarterback since Florida legend Tim Tebow. During the SEC Media Days, he also had a fanboy moment, shaking hands with Manning.

Just while the Longhorns fans were still savoring the moment, here came another news that turned their heads. It’s definitely a bittersweet feeling for them to see Manning leave for the NFL. But they are still eager to learn about it. And finally, the quarterback broke his silence. 

As we are all aware, Manning is the betting favorite to be the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. But turns out that the 21-year-old is keeping long-term aspirations at bay. And what was his reply when asked about his pro league leap? Manning came with a humorous reply. But one thing was clear, for now, college football is his only priority. “I’m really just worried about getting through this interview and then getting through the run tomorrow.  I’m just focused on this year and getting better each day,” quipped Manning. Hailing from a family of NFL stalwarts, it must have taken Manning a lot of courage to fix his focus at the moment, given all the hype. He is predicted to be the No.1 pick. Turns out that the New Orleans Saints will be holding the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. 

On April 18, Saints insider Nader Mirfiq tweeted a teaser with the caption, “2026 NFL Mock Draft. 👀⚜️. By the 2026 NFL Draft, the Saints could be looking for a young quarterback to replace Derek Carr.” Turns out that Kellen Moore’s program might have a soft corner for Manning. The reason? Louisiana has been the home of the Manning family for more than 50 years.

The Texas quarterback’s granddad, Archie Manning, became the starting quarterback for the Saints in 1971. Later on, his father, Cooper, and his uncles Eli and Peyton grew up in New Orleans and attended Isidore Newman School, located only three miles from the Superdome. Now, for the ones questioning if Manning is the first overall pick and still returns to college, wouldn’t it be surprising? 

Well, it definitely would be. However, we must remember, his uncles, both of whom were first overall picks, exerted a high degree of control over their NFL futures. Peyton thought of going back to Tennessee in 1997 when he was the most likely first overall pick, instead of waiting to become the first overall pick in 1998. Eli, on the other hand, surprisingly turned down the Chargers’ offer, telling them he wouldn’t play for them when they picked him first overall in 2004. This resulted in a trade to the Giants. Now that Manning’s plan only revolves around his Austin stay, what about the bond he shares with his head coach?

A sneak peek into the Arch Manning-Steve Sarkisian relationship

We have seen how the Longhorns’ head coach faced a double-edged sword with the quarterback position. Even though Manning was the No. 1 overall player in the 2023 recruiting class, his actions have been limited in the Longhorns camp as he served as Quinn Ewers‘ backup. He threw for 969 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions. Even though Manning came up with some highlight feats, it was mostly against programs like San Antonio and Louisiana-Monroe, which had a low-ranked overall defense.

But now that Manning will lead the pack, Sarkisian is in no mood to take things easy and has oomphed up the protection game. He has added veteran quarterback Matthew Caldwell. That’s when Sarkisian broke the silence about his move. “We’ve had four straight years where our starting QBs have gone down. We’ve got two young, talented guys, but adding an older, experienced QB puts us in the best spot for a long season. You need depth to survive 17 games.” So indeed he is worried about Manning. After all, he and his quarterback are now working as a team to take the Longhorns to the pedestal.

One can sense the energy of their bond from Arch Manning’s interview. Asked about his relationship with Sarkisian, the quarterback shared, “It’s good. I think it’s better than ever now. We kind of joke around a little bit, and then we both pretty competitive, so when it’s time to work, we work.” In return, Manning also received a well-decorated report card from his head coach. Sarkisian shared, “We all talk about resiliency and grit and all those things that are needed when adversity strikes, but resiliency can come from remaining calm. Arch definitely has that about him. He’s a great guy. He’s a great teammate. He’s got an unbelievable work ethic.”  Could this head coach-QB bond be the Longhorns’ ticket to the top?