Saints fans may have to wait a little longer for a shot at another Manning
Archie Manning has bad news for New Orleans Saints fans — and supporters of any team — hoping to tank the 2025 season and pick his grandson in the 2026 NFL draft. Arch Manning is finally taking over as the Texas Longhorns‘ starter this year, and his grandfather (the legendary former Saints quarterback himself) doesn’t expect this to be his last season in Austin. Declaring for the draft with a year of eligibility remaining isn’t in the plans.
“Arch isn’t going to do that. He’ll be at Texas,” for 2026, the eldest Manning told Texas Monthly writer-at-large S.C. Gwynne. His grandson has been a popular choice for the Saints in way-too-early mock drafts, but the expectation is for Arch to wait and enter the following draft in 2027.
It makes sense; the younger Manning has a proof-of-concept to follow in staying at school through his senior year. One of his uncles is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Another has a compelling argument for enshrinement as a two-time Super Bowl champion. Peyton Manning spent four years at Tennessee, turned pro as the first overall pick, and played so well they built a bigger stage for him at Lucas Oil Stadium, which reshaped the Indianapolis skyline. Eli Manning stayed at Ole Miss for four years, became the first overall pick, and pulled off one of the greatest sports upsets of all time by beating Tom Brady’s undefeated New England Patriots head to head. Then he did it again a few years later.
Those are tall legacies to follow up, but Arch is well on his way after a stellar high school career at Isidore Newman — his uncles’ shared alma mater, of course. Noticing a theme? He wouldn’t have been pressed to leave school early even if NIL earnings weren’t a consideration, but in the modern day Manning has the nation’s highest valuation as a college football sponsorship partner. He can afford to wait and go pro when he (and his family) are fully ready. If Saints fans are holding out hope that a bad season would bring them another Manning to turn things around, they may have to wait through another year, too.