Arch Manning isn’t looking past the moment, even as the NFL conversation keeps circling him.
During SEC Media Days on Thursday, the Texas quarterback was asked about the possibility of returning for another college season after 2026 instead of heading to the NFL Draft. Manning didn’t bite. He kept the focus squarely on the present.
“I am just focused on today,” Manning said. “One of my goals this offseason was to stay present and take it one day at a time.”
Manning enters the 2026 season with another year of eligibility after redshirting as a freshman, which has only added fuel to the speculation that he could stay at Texas beyond next year. That hasn’t changed his approach. He’s not entertaining the draft talk right now, even though he’s already seen as one of the top prospects for the 2027 NFL Draft.
He gave the same answer when the conversation shifted to Texas’s schedule.
“We got a bunch of big games, and so we’re just going to take it one day at a time.”
That schedule is no joke. Texas opens with Ohio State in a marquee non-conference game, then moves into an SEC grind that includes road trips to Tennessee, Missouri, LSU, Texas A&M and Oklahoma.
Last season, Manning completed 61.4 percent of his passes for 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also added 399 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, giving Texas another layer on offense.
While Arch remains the headline name, the Manning family has been in the news elsewhere too. Peyton Manning’s son, Marshall, recently drew attention after it was reported that he’s set to start his first season in high school on the bench. It’s another reminder of the patient approach that has often followed young quarterbacks in the family.
For Arch, that same patience is still the plan.
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