Arch Manning headlines an early 2027 NFL mock draft that projects four Texas Longhorns inside the top 10.
Trust me. I get it. It's the day after the 2026 NFL Draft. So why are we even having this discussion?
Well, honestly, it's because it involves Arch.
Texas football could be the center of the 2027 NFL Draft conversation, and Arch Manning is already leading the way.
READ MORE: Texas, Vanderbilt Set Up SEC Rubber Match
A new way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft from USA TODAY Sports projects Manning as the No. 1 overall pick to the New York Jets.
That would be a massive moment for the Longhorns, who haven’t had a player go first overall since Kenneth Sims in 1982.
Manning isn’t the only Texas star drawing early first-round buzz. The projection has four Longhorns going inside the top 10, a sign of just how loaded Steve Sarkisian’s roster could be this season.
Offensive tackle Trevor Goosby is mocked fifth overall to the Tennessee Titans, wide receiver Cam Coleman is projected eighth to the New York Giants, and edge rusher Colin Simmons is listed ninth to the New Orleans Saints.
The quarterback race should dominate next year’s draft cycle. Manning is expected to battle Oregon’s Dante Moore, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr and Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby for the top spot. In this early projection, Manning wins that race.
If it holds, Manning would join Tommy Nobis, Earl Campbell and Sims as Texas players selected No. 1 overall. He’d also become the first Longhorn quarterback to ever claim that spot.
For Texas, the bigger picture may be even more exciting. Six Longhorns were drafted in 2026, but 2027 could bring a much louder statement.
With Manning, Goosby, Coleman and Simmons all projected as top-10 talents, Texas has the kind of star power that can shape both the College Football Playoff race and the NFL Draft.
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