Mel Kiper slams Arch Manning as NFL Draft prospect, demands he return for 2026

Longtime NFL Draft aficionado and expert, Mel Kiper Jr., popped off with some steaming hot opinions of Arch Manning in between Week 2 and Week 3 of the 2205 college football season, of course, Manning's first as the Texas Longhorns starting quarterback.

Manning's first two performances certainly left a higher level of play to be desired while Kiper pointed out the games as proof that the latest addition to the Manning quarterback lineage doesn't quite have the stuff to start NFL games anytime soon. As part of a conversation with Mike Greenberg and Field Yates on ESPN, the NFL Draft expert lamented Manning's lack of consistency as an obstacle towards building toward first-round draft status.

"You need to do that week after week," Kiper said of Manning's four touchdowns against San Jose State. "He hasn’t done it yet. He hasn’t done it against an elite team. They played against Ohio State and he didn’t play well. He got better but didn’t play well overall."

For Kiper, that C word is everything.

"So, again, we can’t talk about him for the NFL because this season has not been consistently high level week after week," Kiper explained. "It hasn’t been that." Now, look away, Texas fans, because Kiper proceeded to hurl some insulting quarterback comparisons at Arch Manning.

"So once he gets to that point, hopefully he does mid-season, and we see Arch really looking good, that’s not enough," Kiper went on. "It’s tempting, but Trey Lance, Mitchell Trubisky, Mark Sanchez, and others, how’d that work out with the fewest starts ever coming into the NFL? Not very well, right?"

Woof, that's some rough company for Manning. But that's the point Kiper makes: if Arch Manning jumps to the league too soon and without enough starting experience, he could pitter out like those aforementioned first-round QBs.

"I’d wanna go through a year next year where he’s the guy, you see that alpha... I got a command of this offense," Kiper added. "If you’re trying to figure out college, you’re not going into the NFL in April, forget about it. He’s back at Texas in year two next season."

For now, Arch Manning ain't even on Mel Kiper's radar.

"He’s not going to be on any of my big boards, not going to be in my top 10 position rankings coming out. He needs to go back for 2026.”

A lot may change by mid-season, but Kiper notes, even if Arch Manning turns the ship around and displays his pedigree in the second half of the season, it still wouldn't be enough for Kiper because the beginning of the year was so inconsistent.

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