David Eckert, Austin American-Statesman
 |  Hearst – Austin Transition

Even before Arch Manning’s first season as a Texas football starter, it’s easy to open social media and find someone talking about his future NFL prospects. 

Just don’t expect him to join the conversation. 

Asked about his NFL outlook at the Manning Passing Academy on Friday, Manning brushed the inquiry aside. 

“I really don’t pay much attention to anyone and what they think besides my coaches, my parents and some close friends that will tell me the truth,” Manning said. “But I’m not worried about what other people think. I’m just going to go out there and have fun and play my game.” 

Manning has been filling column inches and fueling debates among talkshow gas bags since before he graduated high school. 

As professional football beckons, the hot takes are only going to increase in frequency. 

Here’s what’s not a hot take: The sportsbooks have tabbed Manning as the top candidate to go No. 1 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, ahead of more established collegiate quarterbacks like Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), Drew Allar (Penn State) and LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina). The implied odds for Manning to be selected with the first pick, according to FanDuel, sit at 30.3%. 

If Manning plays well enough to retain that distinction at the end of the season, he could become the subject of one of the most interesting draft decision sagas in recent memory. 

That’s because both of his Super Bowl-winning uncles, Eli and Peyton, declined to declare for the NFL Draft as juniors. Peyton had a case to be the No. 1 overall pick out of Tennessee. Eli might not have been selected that high, but he was still likely to come off the board in the first round after three seasons at Ole Miss. 

“I know Arch really likes Texas,” Peyton said, answering a question about how he helps Arch deal with the media spotlight. “He chose Texas because of more than just the football program. He likes the school. He’s got good friends on the team and off the team. His younger brother Heid is there. I had a great experience at Tennessee. That’s why I stayed for my senior year. I really enjoyed the college experience.” 

Arch’s NFL future, for now, is merely hypothetical. He’s a college quarterback with 260 career snaps under his belt and two starts that came against Louisiana-Monroe and Mississippi State. 

He’s not inclined to talk about much more than the college campaign that’s right in front of him. 

Asked by the American-Statesmen whether the idea of playing four years of college football — like his uncles — would appeal to him, Manning again decided against weighing in on the topic. 

“I’m just focused on taking it year by year,” he said Friday. “I’m just focused on today, getting through this afternoon workout. It’s going to be pretty hot. So I’m just focused on right now.” 

Reach Texas Insider David Eckert via email at david.eckert@statesman.com.