Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson, citing sources within the Rams’ front office, writes that the team currently considers Texas QB Arch Manning to be far and away at the top of the board compared to other quarterback prospects.
Robinson notes the Rams covet Manning’s prototypical traits like size and throwing talent, but also believe he has similar athleticism to Bills QB Josh Allen and has that kind of ceiling as a player.
He goes on to add that a high-ranking Rams source told him that even if veteran QB Matthew Stafford returns to the team in 2026, the Rams would still pursue Manning with the goal of sitting him behind Stafford for his rookie year. The team believes Stafford would be comfortable with that and that 2027 is shaping up to be his final season no matter what happens.
Robinson isn’t the only one connecting the dots between the Rams and Manning. Draft analyst Todd McShay has pointed it out and it’s common in league circles. The Rams have an extra first-round pick in next year’s draft after a trade with the Falcons this past April, and Rams GM Les Snead‘s stepson is on the Texas football team and good friends with Manning.
Per Robinson, a team source has said Stafford has even joked with the staff that the trade was a sign the team expects him to retire after this season.
Robinson writes the Rams believe Stafford is capable of helping them compete for a Super Bowl over the next two seasons. But they also believe he’s deep into the sunset portion of his career and they need to be thinking about what’s next.
He mentions there’s a sense inside the team building that if the Rams win the Super Bowl this year, Stafford could elect to retire and go out on top, so they need to be aggressive with a succession plan.
It makes sense that Manning is considered the top option. But they’re far from the only team that’s going to covet Manning and there’s a lot still to play out, including whether Manning even declares for the 2026 draft, how he plays in his first year as the starter and whether the team with the top pick is open to trading.
Manning, 21, is the son of Cooper Manning and the nephew of Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. He was a consensus five-star recruit when he committed to Texas.
During his two-year college career, Manning has appeared in 12 games with two starts for the Longhorns. He’s completed 63 of 95 pass attempts (66.3 percent) for 969 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions while adding 28 carries for 115 yards and four touchdowns.
We’ll have more on the Rams and Manning as the news is available.
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