Arch Manning could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft if he decides to declare after his redshirt sophomore season at Texas, but Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam does not think he will leave the Longhorns
Arch Manning with the Texas Longhorns(Image: Getty)
Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is pushing back against speculation that the franchise has its sights set on Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who has been compared to an NFL star with a huge $275M contract.
Widely regarded as the most anticipated college quarterback prospect in history, Manning carries the legacy of his uncles, Super Bowl champions Peyton and Eli Manning. The 21 year old saw limited action in just two contests during his 2023 redshirt campaign with the Longhorns.
Nevertheless, this past season he appeared in 10 matchups for Texas, completing passes for 939 yards, nine touchdowns and two picks, while adding four rushing scores as he supported now Miami Dolphins signal-caller Quinn Ewers. With Ewers having been selected by Miami in the draft, Manning is set to take over as the Longhorns’ starting quarterback this season.
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Should he excel, he could declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. The general consensus, though, appears to be that even if Manning delivers an impressive redshirt sophomore year at Texas, he’ll return for his junior campaign, positioning him for the 2027 NFL Draft instead.
Recently, FS1’s Colin Cowherd claimed on ‘The Herd’ that Haslam and the Browns have interest in acquiring both Manning and former Alabama head coach Nick Saban.
However, when addressing media members, Haslam has dismissed these reports, expressing his belief that Manning will remain in college for two more seasons.
“I think if you know the Manning family, I would bet that – and I don’t know Arch at all – I would bet he stays in college two years,” Haslam said. “So, I don’t even really think that’s worth discussing.”
During his broadcast, Cowherd suggested that Haslam is captivated by the prospect of bringing Manning and Saban together, dubbing it “the worst kept secret in the south.
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“This is the worst kept secret in the south,” Cowherd kicked off, before continuing: “Haslam, Jimmy, owner of the Browns, huge SEC Tennessee booster, leans heavily on the Manning family. Very close to the Manning family. Yes, that’s not make believe.
“Arch Manning is part of the Manning family. And this is where Nick Saban comes in. Saban is incredibly close to not only Jimmy Haslam, but Saban’s close to the Manning family as well.
“And so Saban, if he could land – I’m told – a top quarterback like [Jim] Harbaugh going to the Chargers for [Justin] Herbert, he would take a phone call for the NFL. And there are two teams guaranteed to be awful this year in the NFL; Cleveland and the [New Orleans] Saints.
“Nick Saban has coached in Cleveland with the Browns under the [Bill] Belichick staff and he coached at LSU. This is not a conspiracy theory.
“Haslam’s circle of trust, according to an article in The Athletic last year is the Manning family and Jimmy Sexton. And Bill Parcells. Sexton is Nick Saban’s agent.”