The Texas Longhorns, currently the top-ranked team, have established themselves as serious contenders for the College Football Playoff (CFP) with Arch Manning as their quarterback. Despite the team’s success, Manning’s draft prospects for the 2027 NFL Draft appear to be diminishing, possibly falling out of the first round.

Throughout this season, Manning has had a series of underwhelming performances. In key matchups against Ohio State and Tennessee, Manning’s limitations as a passer have been evident. He struggled with interceptions and managed only 195 yards and 201 yards passing, respectively. The expectations for Manning, once considered a potential No. 1 draft pick, have not been met according to the predictions heading into the 2026 season.

“I’ve talked to folk in the league that are… I don’t want to say frustrated. But Arch Manning has not lived up to expectations,” said CBS NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson during a discussion about Manning’s draft stock. “I think he is under immense pressure. More than any pressure his uncles faced because of the technological world we live in. But at the end of the day, he has not played up to being a first-round pick.”

Wilson compared Manning to recent draft picks with strong abilities who struggled to succeed as starting quarterbacks in the NFL. He mentioned players like Anthony Richardson and Will Levis, who had high potential but did not perform as expected. Wilson stated, “Arch Manning is one of the best athletes playing college football. He has a big arm, he can do a lot of things well. But he has not played, either last year or this year, like a top 15 pick.”

Wilson’s stance on Manning involves waiting until after the first round to consider drafting a developmental quarterback. He highlighted that he has five other quarterbacks ahead of Manning if the draft were to happen now. “If you need other positions to fill out the roster from 16-32, I’m not taking a developmental quarterback until after Round 1,” he said.

However, Manning’s successful team performance remains a bright spot. As the season progresses, he is likely to have multiple opportunities to showcase his talents on prominent platforms. His next chance to possibly enhance his draft position is the upcoming Week 6 showdown against the Oklahoma Sooners in the celebrated Red River Rivalry. This highly anticipated game will be broadcast at 3:30 pm EST on Saturday, Oct. 10, on ABC.