Todd McShay Predicts Arch Manning Will Forgo 2027 NFL Draft Amid Up-And-Down Season at Texas

Heading into the 2026 college football season, Texas quarterback Arch Manning was expected to be the next generational quarterback prospect and the consensus No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. After eight games, one NFL draft analyst expects the legacy quarterback won't hear his name called at all next April.

The Ringer's Todd McShay believes Manning will return for another collegiate season, regardless of whether he's at Texas or elsewhere.

"I think Arch is coming back to school next year, and I think he should," McShay said during a recent appearance on Yahoo Sports Daily . "Whether he's at Texas or not is a conversation for another time. ... I like the villain version of Arch, where it's a little bit more [of] take the ball, three-step drop, top of the drop, trust your eyes, let it rip."

The early portion of the season appeared to be going as planned for Manning, who guided the Longhorns to the No. 1 rank through the first four games. Then, Texas dropped two consecutive games against unranked Oklahoma and Florida. The losses resulted in heightened scrutiny of Manning's flaws, and head coach Steve Sarkisian even seemed open to the possibility of making a change at the starting quarterback spot.

Manning has faced questions about his decision-making and consistency throughout an up-and-down campaign. The 22-year-old quarterback has taken more sacks through eight games than he did throughout the entire 2025 season, and his seven interceptions are already tied with his total from last season. Injuries have taken a toll on the Longhorns' offensive line, but Manning deserves his fair share of culpability for the sacks.

Despite the struggles, Manning still has an opportunity to get back on track. Texas is ranked No. 7 and has two upcoming games against ranked opponents, No. 18 Missouri and No. 14 LSU. Manning can still make a run for the national championship — and the 2027 NFL Draft — but the margin for error is slim.