Giants, Browns Among 10 NFL Teams Scouting Arch Manning's Texas vs. Faizon Brandon's Tennessee

Saturday's highly anticipated game between No. 1 Texas and No. 14 Tennessee drew a significant contingent of NFL talent evaluators.

ESPN's Jordan Reid reported that 10 teams had representatives in Knoxville for the occasion:

From a draft standpoint, Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is the most notable player taking the field.

After the senior orchestrated an improbable turnaround against Ohio State, pro scouts are probably looking to see if he can have a more complete performance against Tennessee. He had 195 passing yards, one touchdown and an interception in the OSU game.

Manning isn't the only Longhorns player with a potential Round 1 grade, either. Edge-rusher Colin Simmons and wide receiver Cam Coleman are inside the top 10 of Bleacher Report's 2027 big board , and offensive tackle Trevor Goosby (27th) and running back Hollywood Smothers (43rd) made the Top 50.

In the most recent B/R mock , Manning went third overall to the New York Jets, and Goosby was gone two picks later to the Tennessee Titans.

Scouts may see this as an opportunity to get an early firsthand look at Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon. The true freshman isn't draft-eligible for another few years, but he has made a strong impression. He threw for 552 yards and six touchdowns in the Vols' three wins.

A lot can change between now and the 2029 draft, but Brandon is already inserting himself in the mix among the best signal-callers who will be available.