Michael Taaffe Passes the Torch to Arch Manning as Texas Looks Ahead to 2026
Michael Taaffe’s journey at Texas wasn’t just about proving people wrong-it was about setting a standard. From walk-on to All-SEC safety, from overlooked to undeniable, Taaffe leaves Austin with a résumé that speaks for itself. But as he heads to the NFL Draft, it's clear there's one thing that still weighs on him: not bringing home a national title.
Texas entered the 2025 season with sky-high expectations. Preseason No. 1, loaded with talent, and with Arch Manning under center, it looked like the stars were finally aligning for a program hungry to return to college football’s biggest stage. But a 9-3 finish, including tough losses to Ohio State, Georgia, and Florida, left the Longhorns on the outside looking in when the College Football Playoff field was announced.
For Taaffe, who poured five years into the program, that sting is real. “I hate that I couldn't get the job done,” he admitted.
But in the same breath, he made it clear who he believes can finish what he started: “The other No. 16, I got a good feeling in him.”
That "other No. 16," of course, is Arch Manning.
Manning, who could have declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, instead chose to return for his redshirt junior season. His reason?
“Unfinished business.” And it’s hard not to believe him when you look at how he finished the 2025 campaign.
Over his final five games, Manning tossed 12 touchdown passes, capping a season where he threw for 3,163 yards and 26 touchdowns, while adding 10 more scores on the ground. The numbers are strong, but what stood out even more was his command of the offense down the stretch.
He looked like a quarterback who had found his rhythm-and who’s just getting started.
Taaffe’s endorsement of Manning isn’t just lip service. The two developed a close bond in the locker room, and Taaffe has seen firsthand the kind of leader Manning has become. As Taaffe steps away, he’s not just leaving behind a defense that will need to reload-he’s handing the keys to a quarterback he believes can take Texas the rest of the way.
Taaffe’s own story deserves its flowers. A former walk-on who rose to become a First-Team All-SEC selection, he capped his college career by winning the 2025 Wuerffel Trophy, awarded for community service and athletic and academic achievement.
He was also a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, given to the nation’s top player who began as a walk-on. That kind of recognition doesn’t come without grit, leadership, and a relentless work ethic-all traits that defined his time in burnt orange.
Now, he’s turning the page. At the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, Taaffe measured in at 6'0", 189 pounds and is looking to boost his draft stock in front of NFL scouts.
He’s joined by fellow Longhorn defensive back Malik Muhammad, part of a group of six Texas players participating in all-star games this postseason. It’s another sign of the program’s growing presence in NFL circles, following a record-setting draft class last year.
But while Taaffe is focused on the next level, his heart clearly still beats for Texas. His belief in Manning isn’t just about friendship-it’s about knowing what it takes to lead. And if Manning can build on the promise he showed late last season, the Longhorns might just have the right man under center to take them where Taaffe always hoped they’d go.
Texas may have fallen short in 2025, but with Arch Manning returning and a locker room hungry to rewrite the ending, the story isn’t over. In fact, it might just be getting good.