Arch Manning’s winning streak with the Texas Longhorns was snapped after a huge upset loss to the Oklahoma Sooners. Already, the QB is seeing negative projections for his draft future. Former Washington Redskins QB Robert Griffin III had a mindful suggestion for the young star.
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“And that’s why Arch Manning needs to come back for another year of College Football. Just needs more experience,” FOX Sports analyst and former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III wrote on X.
Arch Manning, being the next Manning in line for a career in the NFL, has been on scouts’ radar much before the current season. The hype around his future is a little excessive, which is sometimes dampened by moments like the loss to Oklahoma.
Two costly interceptions (one being returned for a touchdown) in the fourth quarter allowed the Sooners to defeat the Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry game.
Manning was off to a great start this year after a commanding win over Ohio State. He orchestrated a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback to rally past the Buckeyes, and that performance fired up the talks for a No. 1 pick in the 2027 draft. But in the next few games, the quarterback’s performance has only been okay.
Save for the UTSA matchup, he has thrown interceptions in every game.
Griffin had also called for Manning to stay back previously.
“I believe he should come back for another year,” he said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. “When guys are ready to go to the NFL, playing college football looks easy for them…. It doesn’t look easy for Arch yet, and because of that, I do believe he should come back. Arch Manning, to me, needs more starts, and he needs more opportunities to prove that he’s mastered the college game.”
Manning does have an extra year of eligibility; he confirmed in an interview with PEOPLE. But whether or not he uses it remains to be seen. The season is not over yet, with big games against Florida, Ole Miss, Missouri, and LSU still left on the calendar.
“I’m taking it day by day,” Manning told PEOPLE.
However, that last name has notoriously played a part in Manning still getting a lot of attention.
ESPN’s latest quarterback rankings for the 2027 NFL Draft have him at No. 5. But one AFC executive believes people have “blind faith” in the QB.
“What’s giving so many people this blind faith that there’s just this monstrous ceiling with him?” the executive questioned, per ESPN. “Maybe this current state is just who he really is as a prospect.”
“He’ll always be graded on a different scale because of the name, but I think someone will fall in love with what he can be in a few years,” another AFC scout told ESPN. “I don’t think he’s the best in the class, but his flashes in games are fascinating and a preview of what could happen down the road.”
Time will tell what Manning and his family of legacies decide to do for him, but Griffin has given his verdict as a veteran and a former college superstar himself.
Draft expert Todd McShay believes Manning will stay back for 2027. He doubted whether the family is looking at this current season as a “swan song” for Arch Manning.
Had the Texas QB balled out in 2025, he might have had a better shot in the draft, as the QB class was pretty underwhelming save for Fernando Mendoza. But in the 2027 draft, Manning will be put in a group that includes Drew Mestemaker, Trinidad Chambliss, CJ Carr, and Darian Mensah, who are all getting glowing reviews. This time, the QB’s last name alone will not be able to do the job.