Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning Shuts Down Grandfather's Draft Comments

Now that the Arch Manning era is about to officially about to begin for the Texas Longhorns, the next question on everyone's mind is naturally how long it will last.

Barring an absolute disaster, Manning will almost certainly be a top prospect whenever he enters the NFL Draft, partially owing to his last name and partially due to his own talents. It's unclear when exactly he'll decide to enter the draft, though. He's eligible to do so after this season, but it's very possible, if not plausible, that he decides to stick around in Austin for the 2026 season.

Archie Manning, Arch's grandfather and a former NFL star himself, recently added fuel to the fire, declaring that his grandson will stay at Texas for the 2026 season. However, Arch himself is keeping his options open, at least publicly.

Arch Manning Adds Fuel to the Fire on his Future

Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) prior to the game against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Imagesn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

When asked about his grandfather's comments on Tuesday, Manning pushed back on the idea that he's already made up his mind, albeit mildly.

“Yeah, I don’t know where he got that from,” Arch said. “He texted me and apologized about that. I’m really just taking it day by day right now.”

Arch clearly isn't in any rush to make a decision on his future, nor should he be. He's arguably the biggest star in the sport before even throwing 100 collegiate passes, and he's leading the No. 1 team in the preseason AP Poll into battle with national championship expectations. Plus, the NIL money he's raking in certainly doesn't hurt.

Some believe that Arch is a "bust" waiting to happen due to the unreal amount of hype and attention he's receiving, but that possibility is not even on the Longhorns' mind.

“I think, Arch thinks about ‘What am I doing today to improve, to be the best teammate I can be when the game weeks roll around (and) what am I doing to prepare to put myself in the best position to perform,’” head coach Steve Sarkisian said last week. “What I know is what I see every day, and he seems good to me… I just know what he’s capable of, so we just gotta keep tightening the screws to make sure he’s performing the way he’s capable of. As much as the hoopla has happened, we really haven’t gotten into the fire of real games, and dealing with that.”

Arch and the Longhorns will begin their season with a heavyweight showdown against the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes on Aug. 30, and with how long the offseason's been, he's just excited to get on the field.

"I'm ready to go," Manning said.