Steelers Trade Up for Arch Manning in Latest Mock Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers are primed to make a huge move in the 2027 NFL Draft as they search for a franchise quarterback.

In a recent mock draft for Pro Football Network, Jacob Infante predicted that the Steelers will trade up and acquire the No. 2 overall pick from the Miami Dolphins in order to select Texas signal caller Arch Manning.

Way-too-early Mock Draft Monday 🏈

A massive trade shakes up Round 1 in @jacobinfante24's latest 2027 mock. 👀 pic.twitter.com/Tiyi9OAqUE
— Pro Football Network (@PFSN365) June 8, 2026

Manning's name carries extra much weight due to what his uncles Peyton and Eli as well as his grandfather Archie accomplished in the NFL, and he might be next in line as the newest star quarterback in the family.

The 22-year-old is an intriguing prospect deserving of going at the top of next year's draft, but would he be the right pick for Pittsburgh?

Manning's Strengths and Weaknesses

In his first season as a full-time starter at Texas in 2025, Manning finished with 3,163 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions to go alongside a 61.4 percent completion rate.

His campaign began on the wrong foot, though he did bounce back down the stretch and somewhat change the narrative surrounding his name after that poor start.

Manning's arm talent is above-average and there's no area of the field he can't deliver an accurate throw to. He also has great size for the quarterback position at 6-foot-4 and is a threat with his legs as well.

Nov 15, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) throws a pass during the second half against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

While Manning sees the field well and knows how to maneuver his way around the pocket, he's still largely inconsistent and has some mechanical issues that need to be cleaned up, which have led to accuracy concerns at times.

If Manning can polish his game and fix some of those weaknesses in his profile, he's a slam-dunk pick at the top of the first round and would be someone worth flying up the board for from the Steelers' perspective.

What Trading Up For Manning Would Mean For Pittsburgh

Nothing is guaranteed, but it feels pretty safe to say that the Steelers aren't going to be in a spot where they'll be able to select Manning with their own pick assuming he remains one of the top players in the 2027 class.

Pittsburgh is entering the 2026 campaign as a playoff-caliber team, and it's more likely than not that it'll be picking right around No. 21 overall in the first round after landing that selection each of the past two years.

There weren't any real opportunities for the Steelers to go up and land a true franchise-level quarterback in either of those drafts, hence why they've instead turned to Aaron Rodgers.

Because next year's draft appears both talented and deep, however, there should be ample opportunities for Pittsburgh to capitalize and finally bring in a young signal caller who could step in as the team's answer behind center for the next decade-plus.

Trading up to select Manning would require the Steelers to part ways with three first-round picks in addition to other compensation, but it'd be worth it if they truly believe he can lead the franchise for the foreseeable future.

In that scenario, Manning would likely compete with Drew Allar and Will Howard (if he's still on the roster) for the starting job in Week 1 of the 2027 season while working under the assumption that the former would likely take over that role at some point in the year even if it's not to open the campaign.

Furthermore, Allar and Howard would then primarily be jousting for the backup job behind Manning, with the loser in that scenario either serving as the No. 3 quarterback or getting cut/traded and landing with a different organization.

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