There's one burning question every college football fan and NFL Draft diehard wants to know: Will Arch Manning declare for the 2027 NFL Draft? Manning is off to a 3-0 start with the Texas Longhorns. His impressive family lineage and striking profile as the No. 1 high school recruit in the nation in 2023 make him one of the most highly anticipated draft prospects of this generation.
Unfortunately, we'll have to wait a bit longer to find the answer.
On Tuesday, I sat down with Eli Manning, Arch's uncle, for an interview as part of Manning's Best Sliders in Football campaign with King's Hawaiian. Manning was more than willing to discuss his nephew's performances so far in 2026, but he wouldn't budge when I asked if Arch had plans to declare for the 2027 draft.
"If I knew I would tell you, I promise—just because you said it was between us two," Manning joked during the interview. "But I don't know what his plans are."
I tried to pry an answer out of Eli (admittedly, in a not-so-subtle effort), but no dice. Manning went on to tell me that Arch's focus is on the 2026 season and taking it one game at a time.
"I don't think he's thinking about that right now," Manning continued. "He's thinking about the next game, and that's Tennessee, and trying to go figure out how to make improvements and get better from the last game—what can I learn from, and how to win more football games."
Arch Manning's 2027 NFL Draft plans are still up in the air
Because he redshirted during his true freshman season in 2023, Manning is a redshirt junior with at least one more year of eligibility, if he chooses to use it. This means the young, highly-touted quarterback prospect could return to the Texas Longhorns (or even transfer, should it ever come to that) and still play college football in 2027.
And if handsome NIL deals weren't enough incentive, his uncles' college pedigrees might be the cherry on top to keep him in school and keep him from declaring for the NFL Draft until 2028.
Eli Manning started 41 games at Ole Miss, while Arch's other uncle, Peyton Manning—of course, one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history—made 45 career starts at Tennessee before being selected by the Colts with the No. 1 overall pick in 1998 and going on to have a first-ballot Hall of Fame career.
If he follows in the footsteps of his Super Bowl-winning uncles and opts for more college experience, we'll have to wait another year before seeing him hit the stage for the NFL Draft. Can we surmise that's the direction Eli Manning is leaning toward as Arch's decision looms?
"He's still figuring out his game. He's still a young player..." Manning told me. "Each game is an opportunity for him to learn... I just look forward to continue to watch him play and grow and be in these situations."
Maybe a stretch. But Arch will have until the deadline in mid-Janaury 2027 to elect to declare for next April's NFL Draft. Should that deadline pass, the high-profile quarterback will remain ineligible for the 2027 draft and must return to college football.
For dedicated football fans, the declaration deadline will be like Groundhog Day for Punxsutawneyites, and we'll be anxiously waiting to see whether Arch Manning sees his shadow and goes back to school or declares for the 2027 NFL Draft.
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