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Former NFL quarterback Archie Manning said his grandson, Arch, will forego the 2026 NFL Draft and return to the University of Texas after the upcoming 2025 season.
“Arch isn’t going to do that,” Archie told Texas Monthly when asked about Arch possibly entering the draft after the upcoming season. “He’ll be at Texas.”
Arch Manning is currently projected as the No. 1 pick in Tankathon's 2026 NFL Mock Draft. The 21-year-old spent the majority of his first two seasons behind recently-drafted Miami Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers, which included going 2-0 as a starter and throwing for 939 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions on 61 of 90 passing, while also recording 108 yards and four touchdowns on 25 rushing attempts in Ewers' absence during the 2024 season.
Arch's uncles Peyton and Eli Manning both stayed at their respective colleges, the University of Tennessee and the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), for four seasons before both being selected No. 1 overall in the 1998 and 2004 NFL Drafts, respectively. Arch had previously confirmed he planned to stay at Texas for his junior season amid speculation he would possibly transfer.
“I really have no plans on entering the portal or anything so I don’t really know about it, about the whole windows and everything,” Manning said via Rivals.
Manning was the consensus No. 1 overall prospect for the 2023 national recruiting cycle prior to signing with Texas.