With Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter gone, Arch Manning is undoubtedly the current face of college football. That’s why, when football fans saw the first way-too-early 2026 NFL mock draft, it came as a surprise to many that the next Manning wasn’t going first overall. It also drew the ire of many that the young phenom wasn’t even placed in the top five picks.
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To bring you up to speed: there’s a lot of chatter around young Arch and how he could make waves in the NFL just like his uncles. He has some big shoes to fill, though.
Peyton Manning won two Super Bowls and five MVPs, while Eli was also a two-time champion and four-time Pro Bowler. There’s no doubt there will be expectations on Arch’s shoulders to produce greatness in the NFL. With that said, the way-too-early 2026 mock draft, developed by The 33rd Team, is projecting Arch as the 8th overall pick to the Indianapolis Colts.
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Storyline-wise, Arch going to Indy would be incredible, given that it’s Peyton’s former team. However, fans questioned why the mock draft had Arch so low and not going No. 1 overall.
“Arch [Manning] 8th?!” a user commented. “Why would Arch declare if he’s not gonna go 1,” another added.
— Semper (@Semper152892) May 3, 2025
Others questioned the possibility of Arch staying for another year after next season.
“Arch not coming out until probably the year after next,” someone pointed out. “I hate to break it to ya, but I don’t think Arch gonna declare this year,” another chimed in.
There’s a chance that the Longhorn QB chooses to stay at Texas for his senior season and develop, especially if he isn’t being projected as the top pick. Some experts have also noted how focused Manning is on his craft and that he could stay another season out of preference. Although, it’s all going to depend on how well he plays.
Some of the other candidates Arch is competing with for the top pick are fierce. The mock draft had LaNorris Sellers out of South Carolina going No. 1 overall to the Browns. Sellers is a modern-day quarterback who can throw and run for big gains. He accumulated over 3,000 yards and 25 total touchdowns last season through the air and on the ground.
Drew Allar out of Penn State is projected at No. 2 to the Saints. Allar led the Nittany Lions to the CFP semifinals before losing to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. He’s tossed over 20 touchdowns in back-to-back seasons and seems to have a deep understanding of how to command an offense.
Up next at No. 3 and No. 4 is a pair of Clemson defenders: Peter Woods and TJ Parker. The latter led the team in sacks last season with 11, while the former is an athletic freak on the interior defensive line.
Rounding out the top five is Jordyn Tyson, a wide receiver out of Arizona State, going to the New York Jets. Perhaps a possible Garrett Wilson replacement?
All in all, it was surprising to see Arch’s name so far down the early 2026 mock draft. But it’s still early. Maybe the most surprising thing on the list, though, was seeing safety Caleb Downs out of Ohio State down next to Arch at No. 7. Downs is supposedly a generational safety prospect and could threaten to go No. 1.
But quarterback is king, and Arch is the new face of college football. So naturally, football fans were puzzled when they came across the Instagram post—and rightfully so. Arch will likely threaten to go in the top 3 picks once it’s all said and done. If he doesn’t, surely, he’ll return for his senior season and give it another go.
