newsweek
The Texas Longhorns, currently ranked No. 1 and led by quarterback Arch Manning, have established themselves as legitimate contenders for the College Football Playoff. However, Manning's personal draft stock has been slipping, and he may no longer be a first-round selection in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Manning's individual performance has been largely unremarkable. In matchups against strong opponents like Ohio State and Tennessee, he has displayed clear limitations as a passer, throwing interceptions in both games and recording just 195 and 201 passing yards, respectively. Whether fair or not, his production has not matched the lofty expectations that surrounded him entering the 2026 college football season, when many projected him as a potential No. 1 overall pick in 2027.
As a result of his underwhelming play, Manning has fallen significantly on the draft board of prominent CBS NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson. During a discussion on Tuesday, Wilson explained why he no longer considers Manning a first-round pick in his latest 2027 NFL mock draft.
"I've talked to people in the league that are... I don't want to say frustrated. But Arch Manning has not lived up to expectations," Wilson said. "I think he is under immense pressure. More than any pressure his uncles faced because of the technological world we live in. But at the end of the day, he has not played up to being a first-round pick."
Wilson then drew an unfavorable comparison for Manning to several recent draft picks with immense arm talent who ultimately did not pan out as NFL starting quarterbacks. "Anthony Richardson, high-upside, traitsy guy. Will Levis, high-upside, traitsy guy. Arch Manning is one of the best athletes playing college football. He has a big arm, he can do a lot of things well. But he has not played, either last year or this year, like a top 15 pick," Wilson added.
"If you need other positions to fill out the roster from 16-32, I'm not taking a developmental quarterback until after Round 1. So that's where I came down there. Doesn't mean that the season can't play out differently for Arch and he gets red hot. But right now, I have five other quarterbacks I would take before Arch if the draft were tomorrow."
On a positive note, Manning has enjoyed team success this season. If Texas continues on its current trajectory, he will have ample opportunities to showcase his value on big stages down the stretch. His next chance to potentially boost his draft stock comes in a high-profile Week 6 matchup against the team's biggest rival, the Oklahoma Sooners. The Red River Rivalry is set to kick off at 3:30 pm EST on Saturday, Oct. 10, on ABC.
Originally reported by newsweek.