The Cleveland Browns went into the 2025 NFL season with a very good chance at getting the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, and Texas quarterback Arch Manning went into the 2025 college football season as the likely favorite to be that pick. Things didn’t work out that way for either side of the equation, but, lo and behold, they each get another chance for it to happen.
The Browns may actually have too good a team to be bad enough to finish with the worst record in the league this season, which would give them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Meanwhile, Manning may fall short of his projected potential and drop out of the top spot that he’s again projected to earn.
So, with the possibility of Manning joining the Browns still in play for at least another 12 months, insider Tony Grossi said he believes Cleveland owner Jimmy Haslam has his eye on next year’s top QB prospect.
“If you’re Haslam, you have your eye on Arch Manning. No doubt. I don’t think it’s Arch Manning or bust in ’27. I’m a believer that that’s going to be the real deal for that draft of the last decade. I also keep pointing out that I don’t see how anybody can pry Arch Manning from the New York Jets, who are stocked already with three [first-round picks] in ’27 and have a worse roster than the Browns. So I don’t think it’s Arch Manning or bust,” Grossi said.
“If you’re Haslam, you have your eye on Arch Manning,” – @TonyGrossi on a motivation behind potentially trading Myles Garrett. pic.twitter.com/B377iUaq04
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) March 27, 2026
The Browns played their way out of contention for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by winning their final two games of the season with Shedeur Sanders as their starting quarterback. Manning opted to return to school for another season after a subpar campaign that raised some doubts about his NFL potential.
Now, the Jets may be in line to land Manning with the No. 1 pick. New York is projected to be one of the worst teams in the league again, and even if the Jets don’t earn the top choice by virtue of their own failures, they could provide a trade package too good to ignore based on already holding three first-round picks in next year’s draft.
It is worth noting that Arch Manning’s uncle, Peyton Manning, opted to return to play at the University of Tennessee rather than declare for the draft when the Jets had the No. 1 overall pick in 1997. In addition, uncle Eli Manning did not want to play for the San Diego Chargers as the No. 1 pick in 2004, and the family helped orchestrate a trade to the New York Giants.
So, there could be an avenue for the Browns to pull this off after all, especially if they build up their 2027 capital by making a trade during this upcoming draft.
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