Arch Manning is among the most highly anticipated quarterback prospects of the 2020s so far, and a prominent figure is backing him to be a pro come 2027.
On Wednesday’s episode of Ryen Russillo’s eponymous show, draft expert Todd McShay said:
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“Let’s back off this expectation that he’s the number one overall pick, he’s the guy, this is Texas’ year, ’cause I got more news for you. I don’t even know that the Mannings are looking at this as the swan song. There’s a long history of Manning sticking around that extra year until they feel they’re ready, and I won’t be surprised if he’s in the 2028 draft.”
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Veteran Dallas Cowboys writer Clarence Hill Jr. had a curt response to those comments:
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“Nope”
In his first mock draft, ESPN’s Jordan Reid had Manning going to the Arizona Cardinals second overall:
“Even though Carson Beck has looked good this preseason, his presence wouldn’t prevent the Cardinals from looking at a QB here. … If (Manning) can improve his accuracy on underneath throws, he has the physical tools to be picked at this spot and join Jeremiyah Love to form Arizona’s backfield of the future.”
Arch Manning receives alarmingly low score in CBS analyst’s groundbreaking draft preview
As the beginning of the college season looms, Arch Manning is projected to be a first-round pick when it ends. However, Ryan Wilson has some doubts about whether that should be the case.
Earlier this week, the CBS analyst introduced a new stat: the First-Round Readiness Score, or FRED for short. He explained it as follows:
“FRED looks at the things that have historically separated first-round quarterbacks — passing efficiency, touchdown and interception rates, QBR, experience and, importantly, a quarterback’s best three- and five-game stretches.
“The idea isn’t to predict whether he’ll succeed in the NFL; it’s to measure how much his college performance, at that point in his career, resembles what we’ve historically seen from future first-round picks.”
Within the class of 2027, Manning has a stunningly low score of 3.2. By comparison, Oregon’s Dante Moore, who has been projected to be the other top-2 pick from that batch, sits at 19.2. Ohio State’s Julian Sayin leads with 55.3, while USC’s Jayden Maiava and Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker have 43.4 and 40.4, respectively.
Regarding this disconnect, Wilson wrote:
“The numbers tell us he still has plenty to prove: 0.20 EPA per dropback, 8.9 adjusted yards per attempt and a 32.9 Offensive SP+, nearly 10 points below the historical first-round median. I want to see the late-season version become the weekly version.”
The 2027 NFL draft will be held from April 29 to May 1 at the National Mall in Washington DC.
Edited by Andre Castillo