Arch Manning is Texas's starting quarterback. Over the last few years, the Texas Longhorns have had their starting quarterbacks drafted into the NFL. No, none of them were the No. 1 overall pick; they were far from it. However, consistency allows a program to reap benefits.
Now, as Manning flies toward his first season as the Horn's true starting quarterback, having only started in two games prior to this year, many people have him projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Yet, one ESPN analyst, Jordan Rodgers, thinks that is highly unlikely. Rodgers, former NFL quarterback and younger brother to future NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers, has a relatively good idea of the pressure Manning is under.
What do Jordan Rodgers and Arch Manning have in common?
The famous last name, the role as the starting quarterback at a Power Conference football program, and all of the attention that comes alongside both labels. In 2013, Rodgers went undrafted after playing for Butte College and the Vanderbilt Commodores. He doesn't think Manning will meet the same fate, but he doesn't have him anywhere near the No. 1 pick.
"I have Arch Manning at fifth in the SEC when it comes to quarterbacks, when a lot of the media and a lot of the landscape of college football is talking about him being a top 10 or a No. 1 overall draft pick next year," Rodgers said. "I think that is insane."
Don't get it twisted, it is really impressive to be a top-five quarterback in one of the best conferences in the country before you've ever played a full season. However, to use the word "insane" to describe Manning's odds to become a top-ten draft pick is absurd.
.@finebaum reacts to @JRodgers11 comments about Arch Manning:
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) July 15, 2025
"My wife and I were Jordan's biggest fans when he won the Bachelorette. But that's where it ends." 😂 pic.twitter.com/Ug4y2CIVfJ
Throughout his few in-game appearances, Manning has shown promise unlike many other young quarterbacks in collegiate football history. His dual-threat capabilities make him a menace for defensive units to deal with and prop him up perfectly for the next level.
Not to mention, at just 20 years old, Manning is 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, two inches taller and more than 10 pounds stronger than former Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers ever was.
Rodgers is off base with this take. Yes, it's bold to place Manning as the No. 1 draft pick this early on, but it is far from "insane."