Beyond just his last name and beyond his tremendous talent, there is one somewhat overlooked reason Arch Manning is the overwhelming favorite to go 1st overall in the vaunted 2027 NFL Draft. And frankly, it feels weird to say, but the reason -- which is being given away in many early 2027 NFL mock drafts -- is the fact that Manning's team acquired a superstar wide receiver.
Cam Coleman was a top player on this year's transfer portal, leaving Auburn for a chance to go be Manning's WR1 with the Longhorns and a good chunk of change to sweeten the pot. He reportedly received $2 million from Texas, but he's got a chance to earn a lot more than that in the very near future.
We all watched as Manning struggled at the beginning of the 2025 season, but he progressed rapidly as the season went along. Still, one major issue that persisted throughout the course of the season was the fact that Texas struggled with dropped passes. Even though there were plenty of times when Manning's ball placement was off, having an elite weapon like Coleman is going to help take his game to the next level.
Arch Manning's 2027 NFL Draft stock solidified with top 10 talent Cam Coleman joining him
Coleman wasn't perfect himself when it came to dropped passes and ball security at Auburn, but it's forgivable when you are making some of the most ridiculous contested catches in the country.
Coleman had a fantastic 93.4 grade from PFF last year on contested catches, giving Manning a trustworthy target downfield and in the red zone.
Our friends at Saturday Blitz had Coleman going 20th overall in their early 2027 mock draft. Jordan Reid at ESPN had him going 5th overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. Pro Football Focus had him going 6th overall, also to the Raiders. Dane Brugler had Coleman going 6th overall to the Raiders as well.
The point is, Arch Manning already has the talent to go 1st overall without a superstar at the wide receiver position, but getting a top-5 or top-10 talent like Cam Coleman in the mix at receiver? That might seal the deal.
Manning's receivers last year were called out week after week for drops and for making his job harder than it needs to be. It's more than just a spark to get a potential top-10 NFL talent in the program.
The early talk with Coleman is that he's not even that far behind Jeremiah Smith, who is being compared to Julio Jones and getting some early love as the possible #1 overall player in the class.
It's really shaping up to be an outstanding crop of prospects coming in next offseason. Not to be excited about the future at the expense of the moment, but this could be the most anticipated college season in recent memory given how many more NFL fans are going to be watching these prospects with intrigue.