Arch Manning has already been eligible for the NFL Draft once and passed. He cleared the league’s requirement after the 2025 season, could have entered the 2026 draft, and returned to Texas instead. His next window is 2027, and 2028 is still live.
| Year | Status at Texas | Eligibility used? | Draft eligible? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Enrolled early in January as the No. 1 recruit. Third string behind Quinn Ewers and Maalik Murphy. Redshirted | No | No |
| 2024 | Backup. Played 10 games, started two while Ewers was hurt | Yes, first | No |
| 2025 | First full season as the starter | Yes, second | Became eligible for the 2026 draft |
| 2026 | Returned as a redshirt junior. Current season | Yes, third | Passed on the 2026 draft |
| 2027 | Optional fifth season, his last | Fourth and final, if used | Yes, 2027 draft |
| 2028 | Eligibility exhausted | None left | Yes, 2028 draft |
| The two clocks | What it measures | Where Manning stands |
|---|---|---|
| NFL draft eligibility | Three years removed from high school graduation. Nothing to do with games played | Cleared after the 2025 season |
| NCAA eligibility | Four seasons of competition inside a five-year window | Three used, one remaining after 2026 |
| Earliest he can go | Next available draft | April 2027 |
| Latest he can go | After a fifth college season | April 2028 |
Why He Passed on 2026
He had one season as a full-time starter behind him and the family never treated leaving as the plan. His father Cooper confirmed the return in December, his grandfather Archie had said the same thing earlier, and ESPN’s draft analysts had already moved their projection to 2027 or 2028. The NIL money at Texas, reported around $6.6 million, removed the financial pressure that used to push players out early. Peyton and Eli both used all four years of college eligibility, which is the family precedent everyone around the program keeps returning to. The one thing worth being clear about: there is no scenario in which he is available before 2027, so any talk of tanking for him this season is talking about the wrong year. More on how much college eligibility he has left, and the NFL publishes its entry rules through NFL.com.
The Bottom Line
Manning became draft eligible after the 2025 season and skipped the 2026 draft. His next window is April 2027. A fifth college season in 2027 would push him to 2028.