Archie Manning, the grandfather of Arch Manning, a projected top selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, made headlines a few weeks ago when he told Texas Monthly that his grandson wouldn’t enter the ’26 Draft and would stay at Texas. While Arch didn’t outright deny his grandfathers’s claim, he said he hasn’t made a decision yet on what he’s going to do.
“I don’t know where he got that from. He texted me to apologize about that. I’m really just taking it day-by-day right now,” Arch Manning said at a media session Tuesday via CJ Vogel of On Texas Football.
Arch Manning is expected to be one of the first quarterbacks off the board in the 2026 Draft, along with Penn State’s Drew Allar, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, Indiana’s Francisco Mendoza, and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier. His family bloodlines, as the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, have made him one of the most talked-about players in college football. Despite not having started a full season yet, the draft status of the former five-star recruit has been a hot topic ahead of the college football season.
Arch looked solid in limited action last season, throwing for 939 yards and nine touchdowns with two interceptions in 90 pass attempts. With Quinn Ewers having graduated and being in the NFL, he’ll be the QB1 for Texas this season, and the Longhorns are expected to be one of the best teams in college football. If Arch plays well, he has a real chance to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Texas faces a big test out of the gates with a road matchup against Ohio State in its first game on August 30. The matchup against the reigning national champions will likely be packed to the gills with scouts and NFL executives, and the Steelers will likely have a presence in Columbus.
Pittsburgh signed QB Aaron Rodgers this offseason, but Rodgers is only on a one-year contract. While he hasn’t completely ruled out playing beyond 2025, the Steelers are widely expected to be in the quarterback market this offseason. With 12 projected draft picks, they’ll have the ammo to move up the board for a quarterback, and they’ll likely be keeping tabs on Arch Manning throughout the year.
Steelers assistant GM Andy Weidl already praised the potential 2026 quarterback crop, and not only could the Steelers have their eye on Manning, but if he enters the draft, it’s another top prospect at the position. That could give the Steelers a better chance of landing one of the top quarterbacks in the draft.
Arch will likely not make his intentions known until the end of Texas’ season, and his decision could depend on how well he plays in his first full season as a starter.
