Scout discusses whether Arch Manning should be viewed as potential No. 1 pick in 2026 NFL Draft 

Arch Manning may be much faster than his uncles, but that doesn't mean he should be the presumptive No. 1 pick in 2026. 

"I get that everyone's excited," an AFC college scouting director told Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer in a story published Monday. "That run happened and people started talking—they're almost surprised with that last name he has that speed, and the ability to generate big plays with his legs, and he gets transformed into an elite prospect. The reality is we haven't seen him run the offense with any consistency yet, and that's not his fault, he just hasn't played."

Arch Manning started two games last season after Quinn Ewers (now with the Miami Dolphins) suffered an oblique injury against UTSA. During this span, the 6-foot-4, 225-pounder went 2-0 and tossed four touchdown passes. 

However, Arch Manning faced the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks and the Mississippi State Bulldogs in his starts. The Warhawks went 5-7 last season, while the Bulldogs finished 2-10. 

The QB struggled when he briefly replaced Ewers in a 30-15 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs — the 2024 SEC champions — on Oct. 19. He completed 3-of-6 passes for 19 yards and lost a fumble.

"What are we looking at? You'd like to watch a quarterback in double-digit games to really evaluate them," the scouting director said. "You want to see him against a variety of looks. In college, the talent is not as concentrated, so you want to see him against an Alabama or Georgia."

Scouts should get a better assessment of Arch Manning in Texas' season opener against the Ohio State Buckeyes on Aug. 30. The road matchup against the defending national champions could reveal whether the 21-year-old has more room to grow or if the early hype is warranted.