Arch Manning has started only two games in his collegiate career and enters the season opener as the unquestioned starter at Texas for the first time in three seasons.
Yet a majority of the talk surrounding the redshirt sophomore coming into the 2025 campaign has focused on his plans for the NFL. And on Tuesday, the third-generation quarterback said he received an apology from the person who most recently fanned those flames.
His grandfather.
In an article recently published in Texas Monthly, Archie Manning, the patriarch of the family that includes Peyton and Eli Manning — Arch’s uncles — predicted his namesake won’t be a one-and-done starter and jump into the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Arch isn’t going to do that. He’ll be at Texas,” Archie Manning said.
Arch Manning addressed his grandfather’s comments for the first time Tuesday.
“I don’t know where he got that from,” the 21-year-old Manning said of his grandpa. “He texted me to apologize about that. I’m really just taking it day by day right now.”
Some NFL teams likely already have Arch atop their draft boards. After the 2025 season, he’ll be draft-eligible.
Despite his lack of college playing time, oddsmakers have Arch Manning as the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy and, before Archie’s comments, to be the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. In limited playing time while backing up Quinn Ewers in Austin the previous two seasons, Arch Manning has thrown for 969 yards and nine touchdowns in 12 games played.
Both Peyton and Eli were No. 1 overall draft picks. Archie was a No. 2 selection himself in 1971 out of Ole Miss. Peyton is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, while Eli (who most famously twice Tom Brady and the New England Patriots twice in the Super Bowl) has yet to be voted in.
Arch’s father is Cooper Manning, the oldest of the three Manning brothers.
The Longhorns are ranked No. 1 in the nation and open the season Aug. 30 against No. 3 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio.
–Field Level Media
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