Back in 2004, Eli Manning made one of the boldest moves we’ve ever seen on draft day. Despite being the No. 1 overall pick by the San Diego Chargers, he flat-out refused to suit up for them.
That decision set off a chain reaction that ended with Eli in New York, two Super Bowl rings later, and a permanent spot in NFL lore. Now, with Arch Manning - Eli’s nephew - on track to be one of the top prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft, it’s fair to wonder: could history repeat itself?
Let’s be clear - Arch hasn’t declared for the draft yet. But all signs point to him being in the mix next year.
He’s got the pedigree, the tools, and the spotlight. And with that spotlight comes questions - especially about whether he might follow in his uncle’s footsteps and steer his career path before it even begins.
Arch’s father, Cooper Manning, was recently asked about the possibility of his son pulling an Eli-style move. His response? Don’t expect any dramatic declarations just yet.
“I have no idea,” Cooper said when asked about the scenario. But he quickly shifted the focus back to the present - Arch’s current journey with the Texas Longhorns.
“Anything beyond spring football right now is too far away to even think about,” he added. “He’s enjoying the big win over Michigan and seeing some new players come in, saying goodbye to some guys in this portal and looking forward to making some new teammates, great friends and vice versa.
So we don’t look too far out in the world of football. Keep it simple and keep your head down, and it should all shake out OK.”
That’s a classic Manning response - focused, grounded, and all about the next rep, not the next draft. Still, the curiosity around Arch’s future isn’t going anywhere.
When your last name is Manning and your uncles are NFL royalty, every move gets magnified. And when one of those uncles once turned the draft upside down, the comparisons are inevitable.
For now, Arch is locked in on his college career, continuing to grow in a Texas program that’s trending upward. But come next spring, if his name starts climbing up draft boards - and it likely will - the conversation about where he lands, and whether he’ll play there, will only get louder.
Until then, it’s all about keeping the blinders on and letting the game do the talking. Just like the Mannings tend to do.