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As Arch Manning criticism continues to mount, and as buzz continues to swirl about the grim outlook for the 2027 Draft quarterback class, one ESPN analyst thinks the Texas signal-caller should take a different route altogether.
During Friday’s “First Take,” Dan Orlovsky said he thinks Manning — who could get benched soon after the Longhorns gave their backup more reps in practice — should skip declaring for the draft this year and spend another season elsewhere at the college level.
“I think whatever happens this weekend, cool, I think this relationship is certainly done,” Orlovsky said, according to Awful Announcing.
“I do not believe Arch should go to the NFL. I believe Arch should leave Texas and go to a place that can adamantly develop him as a quarterback, that gives you the ability to play quarterback.”
Orlovsky also ripped the Texas offense and said it doesn’t allow Manning “to play quarterback” and has contributed to his regression.
Entering Saturday’s game against Ole Miss, Manning has thrown for just 1,295 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions one year after throwing for 3,163, 26 and seven, respectively, in 2025.
ESPN reported earlier in the week that KJ Lacey — Manning’s backup — received more reps with the first-team offense this week, and it’s unclear if head coach Steve Sarkisian could pivot to Lacey if everything goes awry against the Rebels.
The Longhorns rose to No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 rankings after toppling then-No. 1 Ohio State, but they sat at just No. 19 in the most recent poll after dropping consecutive games — by a combined six points — to Oklahoma and Florida.
But the quarterback issue for the upcoming draft isn’t limited to just Manning, either.
NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported that one college scouting director described the evaluation of talent — without knowing which quarterbacks will ultimately declare and be available — as “an absolute s–t show,” according to Bleacher Report.
He tweeted Saturday that several NFL executives have “expressed skepticism” that all the top quarterbacks in the class actually enter the 2027 NFL Draft.
Manning was pegged as one of the top quarterbacks in the class entering the season, but in ESPN’s updated quarterback rankings earlier this month, Manning was just No. 5 — trailing Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker, Miami’s Darian Mensah, Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss and Notre Dame’s CJ Carr.
That was before Manning’s Texas career continued spiraling toward a point of a potential benching, too.