Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning recently stated that his grandson Arch will not be declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. This has sent the fan bases of many dumpster fire NFL teams into a panic. Arch Manning is one of the most highly touted quarterback prospects of all time and is ranked first in the 2023 recruiting class.
He comes from possibly the most prestigious bloodline in all of football. His grandfather, as mentioned before, was a quarterback who played in the league for over a decade. His uncles, Eli Manning and Peyton Manning, are not only some of the most dominant quarterbacks of the 2000s, but also among the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Even his father, Cooper Manning, was a high school wide receiver and was committed to play for the Ole Miss Rebels. Unfortunately, Cooper had a medical issue that forced him to retire from football.
Arch Manning has had an unusual college career to say the least. Despite entering his third season for the Texas Longhorns, he’s had hardly any playing time. For two seasons, he had to sit behind another talented quarterback prospect in Quinn Ewers. The only occasions that we’ve seen Arch take the field were in a handful of passes in the 2023 season and playing two games in the 2024 season as relief for Ewers during two blowout games. From what we’ve seen so far, the kid is talented. He has prototypical size, a strong arm, and is a surprisingly effective scrambler. His pedigree and learning how to play the game from his uncles and grandfather add to Arch’s mystique.
The football world is incredibly intrigued to see how Arch will play, as he will finally get to be the starter on one of the best college football teams in the FBS. NFL scouts have their eyes peeled, as Arch has the potential to save their franchise. Unfortunately for them, it seems they will have to wait until 2027 to get their hands on him. For organizations like the New Orleans Saints, this is terrible news. Their quarterback room leaves a lot to be desired. They’re currently deciding between fifth-round quarterback Spencer Rattler and a 25-year-old rookie in Tyler Shough. Shough was selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, in what was seen as a massive overreach for his talent.
Even if Arch doesn’t end up joining the 2026 NFL Draft Class, the New Orleans Saints shouldn’t lose all hope. This quarterback class is incredibly deep and is much better than last year’s. The Saints still have at least five college quarterback alternatives that could bring them back to relevancy.
5 Arch Manning backup plans that can still save the Saints in 2026 NFL Draft
Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
This pick is currently being held in limbo, as LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier was carted off the field, possibly suffering a torn ACL in practice. Nussmeier reportedly said he was “fine”, so the details on the severity of the injury are currently unknown. He would have been ranked higher if this weren’t the case. Assuming he is healthy, and we get to see him play, the Saints should have him on their radar.
There’s no other way to describe Nussmeier other than he’s a baller at quarterback. There is not a throw he doesn’t like. He’s able to throw into incredibly tight windows, throw with incredible touch, and his arm is surprisingly strong. While sometimes he believes in his arm too much, making boneheaded throws and interceptions, he’s entertaining to watch. Last season was his breakout year, as he sat behind the current NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Jayden Daniels, in 2023. In 2024, Nussmeier threw for over 4,000 yards and 29 touchdowns.
New Orleans Saints fans may be familiar with the last name Nussmeier, as Garrett’s father, Doug, is their current offensive coordinator. Assuming we get another healthy season from Garrett, and he improves on some of his tendencies, a reunion with his father in New Orleans seems like a match made in heaven.
John Mateer, Oklahoma
John Mateer is the new offensive signal caller for the Oklahoma Sooners. He transferred over from the Washington State Cougars, where he took the PAC-12 by storm. He was one of the most talented dual-threat quarterbacks on this list and in all of college football. Through the air, he had 3,136 passing yards and 29 touchdowns. On the ground, he had 1,008 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. He’s also a quarterback who believes he can make every throw on the field and isn’t afraid to throw over the middle or into tight windows.
However, sometimes that costs him. His arm strength and accuracy are fine, but nothing exceptional. This could mean that on longer throws, the ball can lose some of its velocity. The bigger concerns at hand are his processing and his propensity to take sacks. He operates best in chaos, and at times, he creates his own. This means he can miss out on easy completions or unintentionally run into sacks. The second issue became a bit of a problem as he took 33 sacks, which ranks in the top 10 for FBS quarterbacks.
If Oklahoma can reel him in a bit, and he learns to operate better in the pocket, there’s a chance that he becomes even more productive than he already was. He’s a true wild card in the college quarterback picture, but he could pay off big eventually for the New Orleans Saints.
Drew Allar, Penn State
Drew Allar is a big-bodied quarterback for the Penn State Nittany Lions. Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 240 pounds, his frame already reminds many of Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Some draft experts believe Allar was talented enough to have been selected by the Cleveland Browns with the second pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, he decided to recommit to Penn State for one more season.
Like many other large quarterbacks, he has a rocket of an arm. He’s able to throw at all levels of the field with little drop off in velocity and can zip the ball into tight windows. While he isn’t the most mobile quarterback in the world, he has decent enough legs and has the toughness to extend plays. He does have some glaring red flags. Even after starting at Penn State for two full seasons, his throwing mechanics are still inconsistent and can lead to some accuracy issues. Additionally, he has one of the highest touchdown-to-interception ratios on this list. Finally, some of his worst games came against his toughest competition, like Ohio State and Notre Dame, leaving some fans questioning how much of a competitor he is.
Perhaps Allar is incredibly self-aware and recognized that he still needs one more season of refinement before he plays on the professional level. Penn State has one of the more talented rosters in college football. If he’s able to win them a National Championship, Drew would be recognized as potentially the greatest quarterback in Penn State history, and the New Orleans Saints may want to snatch him up.
LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks' quarterback LaNorris Sellers may be the most polarizing player on this list. His game is very reminiscent of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, and considering how shaky his career has been so far, it’s scared away a lot of people from Sellers. But it’s hard not to fall in love with the player when watching him play.
Sellers is the true definition of a dual-threat quarterback, as he has almost as many passing completions as he has rush attempts, with 195 to 141. Combining what he’s done as a passer and as a runner, he’s had 3,372 yards and 25 touchdowns. He’s incredibly fun to watch as he has one of the strongest arms among all college quarterbacks and is easily able to break tackles on the run. While he does remind many of Anthony Richardson, his play style is also very similar to that of former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton.
With this type of quarterback, we typically see many flaws, and Sellers is no exception. He isn’t very accurate and is very turnover-prone. He has the highest touchdown-to-interception ratio on this list, and on top of that, he had 11 fumbles in 2024. Not only that, but he also needs to speed up his processing, as he often gets locked onto his first read. There is no doubt that he’s a raw prospect and has a ton of improving to do. However, I believe he can do it. He’s had the least amount of playing time out of the five quarterbacks mentioned. With some more reps and some improvement from his receiving threats, I think Sellers can shock the world and can become a can’t-miss prospect in New Orleans’ eyes.
Cade Klubnik, Clemson
I think the most realistic quarterback that could end up saving the New Orleans Saints is Clemson’s Cade Klubnik. Klubnik was another breakout candidate this season and took the biggest leap out of all the quarterbacks mentioned. He was one of the most productive quarterbacks in the FBS, ranking 10th and sixth in passing yards and touchdowns. In 2024, he had 3,642 passing yards and 36 touchdowns. Additionally, he had hardly any turnovers, with just six interceptions. He’s also surprisingly mobile, rushing for 588 yards and seven touchdowns.
His flaws are concerning but can easily be corrected. He often gets frazzled in the pocket under pressure, which can lead to inconsistent decision-making. While his arm is adequate for the NFL level, it can certainly be improved. He frequently finds it difficult to get his lower half involved in his throwing motion. If he could either improve his lower body mechanics in his throwing motion or put some more weight on his frame, I think his arm strength could take another leap.
Cade is the perfect combination of accuracy, mobility, and good decision-making that the New Orleans Saints certainly need. Considering that Clemson is one of the teams projected to win the National Championship, Klubnik can easily finish as the top quarterback of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Saints are projected to be one of the worst teams in the NFL next season, putting them in position to grab the best quarterback they’ve had since Drew Brees.