What QBs Arch Manning, Julian Sayin must do to boost 2027 NFL Draft stock in Texas-Ohio State rematch

Many eyes will be on junior quarterbacks Arch Manning (Texas Longhorns) and Julian Sayin (Ohio State Buckeyes) on Saturday, including those of NFL scouts.

The No. 4 Longhorns host the No. 1 Buckeyes at 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC). Neither QB was a major factor in Ohio State's 14-7 win over Texas in 2025. Manning completed 17-of-30 passes for 170 yards and one touchdown and tossed an interception. Sayin, meanwhile, went 13-of-20 passing for 126 yards and one TD. 

Now that each QB is a year wiser, expect head coaches Ryan Day (Ohio State) and Steve Sarkisian (Texas) to ditch the vanilla offensive game plans and let them flaunt their skills. Those talents could tick the boxes of talent evaluators. Here's what they'll want to see in a matchup that could be a potential barn-burner. 

What will NFL scouts want to see from Arch Manning, Julian Sayin in Week 2? 

Manning's mechanics looked much improved in Texas' 59-7 win over the Texas State Bobcats in Week 1. The QB, who completed a below-average 61.4 percent of his passes in 2025, went 20-of-27 passing (74.1 percent, above average) for 305 yards, four TDs and one interception. 

Manning, however, needs more polish. In a story published Wednesday, a scout told CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz the QB must master "the nuances of the position." His Texas State tape shows he's still trying to nail them down. 

On a 1st-and-10 late in the second quarter, the QB checked down to wide receiver Ryan Wingo (No. 1) instead of hitting WR Cam Coleman (No. 8) for a potential TD. The all-22 film can be hard to watch, so zoom in on Coleman. It's a positive Manning didn't take a sack, but NFL teams want him to make the throw for the bigger gain.