The back-and-forth on whether or not Texas quarterback Arch Manning would declare for the 2026 NFL Draft has cast a shadow over his first season as the starter for the Longhorns.
From experts projecting that he would go No. 1 overall to his grandfather, Archie Manning, saying he will be at Texas next year, to Manning himself saying he's just taking life day by day, people truly have no idea what the young quarterback will decide by the end of the season.
Most recently, Texas fans received yet another gut punch when ESPN predicted that the Cleveland Browns would tank their upcoming season to draft Manning this spring.
Manning, who has started in just two games throughout his three-year tenure with the Longhorns, was the heir apparent when former Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers declared for the NFL Draft. Since then, the Horns have clung to hope that Manning would stick around for more than just one year.
Arch Manning brings back Texas fans' anxiety for his future with the Longhorns https://t.co/3osbe01w5v
— Hook'em Headlines (@HookemHeadlines) August 19, 2025
"Ultimately, Arch [Manning] is eligible to declare in 2026, and if he performs up to his potential, he might just have to consider the NFL leap in this coming draft class. So I'm including him ... for now," wrote Field Yates, a draft analyst for ESPN.
Yates included the "asterisk" that a lot of people are ignoring: "if he performs up to his potential..."
That's a crucial aspect when it comes to whether or not Manning will declare for the NFL Draft or not. If he has even a mediocre season where he is carried by his running backs and defensive unit, the odds of Manning sticking around in Austin for another season would skyrocket.
However, if Manning lives up to the star-power that is expected from him this season, then the odds of the young quarterback heading to the NFL would skyrocket instead.
Manning and the Texas Longhorns kick off their season with one of the biggest games of the year, traveling up to Columbus to face the Ohio State Buckeyes, who defeated the Horns in last season's College Football Playoff semifinals.
The Longhorns and the Buckeyes are scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, Aug. 30, on FOX. To start the morning, ESPN's College GameDay will air from Columbus and feature Lee Corso's last-ever appearance on the show.