Arch Manning’s latest outing did him no favors, and Mel Kiper Jr.’s refreshed 2027 NFL Draft board made that clear in a hurry.
Kiper released an updated top 10 prospect list ahead of the 2027 draft, and the Texas quarterback was nowhere to be found. That stands out even more because Manning entered the 2026 college football season viewed as one of the top players in his class. Instead of turning pro, he chose to return to the Longhorns for another year and chase a deep playoff run.
So far, the season has been uneven. Texas fell to Oklahoma on Saturday, and Manning’s late interception sealed the Sooners’ win. He finished 19 of 31 for 260 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions, a line that captured both the flashes and the mistakes that have defined his start.
Kiper’s list leans heavily on elite talent, with Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith holding the No. 1 spot after piling up 48 receptions for 916 yards and 11 touchdowns. The analyst also included four quarterbacks, just not Manning.
That omission says plenty about how much ground Manning still has to cover. After his first year as a starter, he could have entered the NFL. Instead, he’s back at Texas, and Kiper’s updated rankings show he’ll need a stronger response before he can force his way back into the top tier.
There’s still time for that to change. Manning has already shown he can take a step forward, and now the task is doing it again as Steve Sarkisian tries to get Texas moving in the right direction.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Faces Two Big Injury Questions Before Kentucky
Oklahoma heads into its matchup with Kentucky still waiting on clarity at a pair of key spots, with cornerback Eli Bowen and offensive tackle Michael Fasusi both listed as questionable in the latest SEC availability report. The Sooners have several other names spread across the injury chart as well, leaving the staff to sort through a mix of probable and unavailable players as kickoff approaches.
Kentuckys report adds another layer to the pregame picture, with former Oklahoma wide receiver Nic Anderson listed as probable for the Wildcats. The board on both sides is crowded enough to make the final injury updates worth watching, especially for an Oklahoma team trying to steady itself before another conference test. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma May Have Found The O-Line Combo It Needed Most
The Sooners made a notable shuffle up front in their win over Texas, with freshman Noah Best starting at left guard after previously working at right guard and Heath Ozaeta sliding over to right guard despite a minor injury concern. It was the kind of midseason adjustment Oklahoma has been searching for, and the results gave the staff reason to believe it may have settled on a better fit along the line.
Brent Venables and Ben Arbuckle both praised the pair for their toughness and performance, pointing to a running game that looked better after halftime. Ozaeta was listed as questionable for the upcoming game against Kentucky, but the expectation is he will go if he is able, leaving Oklahoma to see whether the same combination can hold together under another week of pressure. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma May Have Found Exactly What It Needed After Beating Texas
Beating the No. 1 Texas Longhorns did more than snap Oklahomas recent frustrations, it gave this team a clearer sense of who it can be when the pieces start to fit. After a stretch defined by shaky offensive line play and quarterback mistakes, the Sooners looked far more settled in the win, with John Mateer operating more cleanly and the ground game getting meaningful help from Lloyd Avant and Jonathan Hatton Jr.
Will Stein now has a reason to believe the offense can carry some of that confidence into the next stretch, starting with Kentucky and a new-look challenge on the schedule. The question is whether this was just a rivalry jolt or the kind of performance that finally points Oklahoma toward something more stable as the season keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]