The Cleveland Browns, like several NFL teams, might already be on Arch Manning watch.
The youngest star of the Manning family has already been penciled in as a Heisman trophy candidate and a potential No. 1 pick in the NFL draft next year.
However, after watching him struggle in Texas’ season-opening loss to Ohio State, some are ready to put the brakes on the hype.
Notably, that includes Browns insider Terry Pluto.
In his latest column, he questioned any NFL team’s decision to go after Manning next year, who could still choose to return to college and polish his game:
“As for the Browns or anyone else considering drafting Manning high in 2026, the wisest move would be for him to stay in school for another season. He now has three college starts. By the end of this season, he still won’t have 20 starts even if Texas drives deep into playoffs. That’s not much college experience. Waiting would probably be best for him and his eventual NFL team,” Pluto wrote.
That makes perfect sense.
Of course, it’s not wise to overreact to just one game, for better or worse.
But even if Manning thrives the rest of the way, he still won’t have a lot of experience going into the NFL.
The Mannings have been patient with the young heir, and his grandfather, Archie Manning, already said he’s likely going to return to college.
Arch dismissed that story and said that he still hasn’t made up his mind, but the Mannings could pull some strings if they don’t like his potential fits in the NFL Draft.
We’ve seen multiple players benefit from staying in college a little longer, and with the NIL era in full effect, the players shouldn’t look to rush anything, either.
The Browns could and should still have several appealing options if they want to get another quarterback in the draft in 2026, including Penn State star Drew Allar, who already said he would be honored to play for them.
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