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NFL Draft Will Have to Wait for Texas QB Arch Manning as Mocks Predict Bright Future

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jonathan Adams | Last updated Dec 21, 2024 1:44 PM ET

NFL fans will have to wait to see Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning suit up on Sundays. Manning will not be eligible to turn pro until the 2026 NFL draft, but the early projections predict the quarterback will have a chance to be the No. 1 pick.

Athlon Sports' Luke Easterling labeled early potential landing spots as the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets and Los Angeles Rams among other NFL franchises. Teams in the market for a quarterback in the 2025 NFL draft would be unlikely options for Manning in 2026.

Franchises like the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants are expected to consider making quarterback moves this offseason.

Manning has spent the past two seasons as a backup at Texas, filling in for Quinn Ewers when the quarterback was sidelined. The playmaker will need to prove capable of being a high NFL draft pick once Manning is finally named the starting quarterback, potentially ahead of the 2025 college football season.

One of my source(s) in the Manning family told me this..

We are old school and you never lose your job from an injury..

Everybody assumes that Arch is on a fast track to the NFL but that isn't true..

He wants to develop and stay in Steve Sarkisian's system #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/j3iHjSxDnu
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 20, 2024

Walter Football's Charlie Campbell's early 2026 NFL mock draft has the New Orleans Saints selecting Manning with the No. 1 pick. This would be an intriguing storyline given the quarterback's grandfather Archie Manning played for the franchise. Time will tell how long the Saints lean on veteran quarterback Derek Carr.

"Manning has flashed his excellent skill set in relief work for Quinn Ewers in 2024," Campbell wrote on Saturday. "Manning has completed 68 percent of his passes for 939 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions.

"He also has two rushing touchdowns. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder could be a riser for the 2026 NFL Draft after he takes over as the full-time starter in 2025."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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