Arch Manning hasn’t even finished his first season as Texas Football ’s full-time starter, and already his NFL draft stock is a hot topic. The hype was sky-high before opening day , but reality has hit hard in recent weeks.

On ESPN’s College GameDay , Peter Thamel revealed that the NFL isn’t viewing Manning as a 2026 draft option right now. Thamel said a poll of 25 NFL scouts and executives on the top quarterbacks for 2026 produced one clear takeaway: Manning wasn’t close to the top.

South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers led the group with eight votes. LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Miami’s Carson Beck, Oklahoma’s John Mateer, and Penn State’s Drew Allar all followed. Manning? Just one lone vote.

That doesn’t mean he’s doomed. Thamel pointed out that Cam Ward , who went No. 1 overall in

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