The 2027 NFL Draft is still a long way away, but Arch Manning is already at the center of plenty of early speculation.
The Texas quarterback is widely viewed as a potential No. 1 overall pick, and NFL analyst Alex Barbour has already imagined a scenario in which Manning’s famous family could have a major say in where he begins his professional career.
Arch Manning Remains on Track To Be No. 1 QB in 2027 NFL Draft
If the Arizona Cardinals end up holding the top pick, as the PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator projects, Barbour believes the Manning family could push for a trade rather than allow Arch to join the franchise.
The idea draws an obvious comparison to the 2004 NFL Draft. Before that draft, Archie and Eli Manning made it clear that Eli did not want to play for the San Diego Chargers, who held the No. 1 pick. San Diego selected Eli anyway before trading him to the New York Giants in exchange for Philip Rivers and additional draft capital.
Barbour believes history could potentially repeat itself with Arch, and he said it in a recent video on “Hail Mary Sports.”
“The number one overall selection, we have the Arizona Cardinals, and a lot of people are saying, ‘Hey, you might as well just go after Arch Manning and you could have a Manning-Harrison combination,'” Barbour said. “I think that’s a possibility, but at the same time, we’re going to throw something in here that is really unique, and that is going to be that the Mannings are going to pull a Manning again.”
“They’re going to say, ‘We don’t want our son, our nephew, going to an organization that ends up disregarding its fan base and the quality that we expect as a family,’ and they’re going to say, ‘We’re not going to send our kid to Arizona. You’re going to need to trade out.’ Honestly, I think this is a better scenario for Arizona anyways,” he added.
The scenario is entirely hypothetical at this point, but Barbour’s argument centers on more than simply where Arch would prefer to play.
He believes the Manning family could place significant value on organizational stability, front-office decision-making, and the ability to develop a young quarterback effectively.
START PREPARING: PFN’s Free Fantasy Draft Simulator
The Manning-Harrison Connection
For Arizona, the obvious attraction would be pairing Arch Manning with Marvin Harrison Jr., the latter of whom ranked 42nd at his position last season on PFN’s WR Impact Metric.
The combination would immediately generate enormous attention given the Manning family’s football pedigree. Arch’s uncle, Peyton Manning, and Marvin’s father, Marvin Harrison Sr., formed one of the NFL’s most productive quarterback-receiver duos, connecting for an NFL record 114 touchdowns with the Indianapolis Colts.
Putting Arch and Marvin together on the Cardinals would create an irresistible storyline for the league.
However, Barbour believes Arizona’s organizational situation could ultimately outweigh the appeal of that pairing if the franchise fails to establish the right environment for a young quarterback.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator
A Trade Could Still Benefit Arizona
There is also an argument that Arizona could benefit from trading the No. 1 pick if Manning’s camp made it clear that he did not want to play there.
A quarterback-needy team could offer Arizona multiple first-round picks and other assets for Manning, giving the Cardinals a chance to strengthen the roster rather than rely on one player.
Of course, the scenario remains purely hypothetical. Arizona would first need the No. 1 pick, while Manning would have to develop into the elite prospect many expect.
Still, it raises an intriguing question: Could the Manning family once again influence where its next quarterback begins his NFL career?
