Arch Manning has this season plus one more. He entered 2026 with two years of eligibility left, so once the current season ends he has a single year available in 2027. The reason a fourth-year player still has college football left is the 2023 redshirt.
| Season | Class | Role | Counted? | Left after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | True freshman | Third string, redshirted | No | 4 |
| 2024 | Redshirt freshman | Backup, 10 games, two starts | Yes | 3 |
| 2025 | Redshirt sophomore | First full year as the starter | Yes | 2 |
| 2026 | Redshirt junior | Starter, current season | Yes | 1 |
| 2027 | Redshirt senior | Optional final season | If used | 0 |
| Term | What it actually means |
|---|---|
| Four seasons of competition | The number of years a player can actually play, regardless of how long he is enrolled |
| Five-year window | The calendar clock those four seasons must fit inside |
| Redshirt | A year on campus that does not burn a season of competition. This is what 2023 was |
| Redshirt junior | Fourth year enrolled, third season of competition. Manning’s status now |
| Draft eligibility | A separate NFL rule about years since high school. Unrelated to any of the above |
Why the Two Clocks Confuse People
Manning arrived at Texas in January 2023, which makes 2026 his fourth calendar year on campus. Most fourth-year players are seniors. He is not, because the redshirt preserved a season. Meanwhile the NFL clock, which only counts years since high school graduation, ran independently and hit three years after the 2025 season. That is how a player ends up simultaneously free to turn pro and still holding college eligibility, a combination that sounds contradictory and is completely normal. If he declares for the 2027 draft he leaves one year unused, which is what his uncles Peyton and Eli both declined to do. Our explainer on whether he has to declare covers the decision itself, and the governing eligibility rules are published at NCAA.org.
The Bottom Line
One year after this one. The 2023 redshirt is the entire explanation, and it is why a player in his fourth year at Texas is a redshirt junior rather than a senior.