The Pittsburgh Steelers are giving Aaron Rodgers one more shot to snap the team's ugly playoff drought, but after the 2026 season, it's anyone's guess as to whom the future quarterback will be. Though the Steelers used the No. 76 overall pick in April's NFL Draft to select Drew Allar, most believe the general manager Omar Khan will look to take a much bigger swing in the 2027 NFL Draft.
But the latest coach's comments could already force the Steelers to start re-writing their 2027 draft plans.
On Monday, Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian joined Kay Adams on Up & Adams to discuss the future of quarterback Arch Manning. When asked if Manning would consider returning to school after the 2026 season, Sarkisian gave a response that quarterback-needy NFL teams didn't want to hear.
"You know we haven't had the discussion. But I will tell you, I would not be surprised. I think Arch [Manning] really loves college football. I really do. I think he really loves the University of Texas. He does pretty good through NIL. You know he's got some pretty good endorsements going right now...
We haven't really had any dialog about it, but to you're point, I wouldn't be surprsied."
The Pittsburgh Steelers could be looking at another thin QB pool in the 2027 NFL Draft if Arch Manning returns to the Texas Longhorns
There's a lot of projection involved in Manning as an NFL prospect. His sample of excellent play at the collegiate level has been small so far, and he needs to take another step forward in 2026. Regardless, Manning is projected to be one of the top picks in the 2027 NFL Draft.
If Manning performs as expected, the Steelers won't have a shot at him next April. However, his potential decision to return to school for a redshirt senior season in 2027 would greatly impact the Steelers' quarterback pool in next year's draft.
Arch going back to Texas for a final season in 2027 would mean every other quarterback would be getting pushed up the board. This means the Steelers could be looking at drafting a lesser quarterback.
It's probably safe to assume that the Steelers will have somewhere between the 18th and 24th overall pick, organically. And while trading up is certainly an option, they may have to do so for a lesser quarterback if Manning stays in school. For example, instead of moving up to land the second or third-best QB in the class, Khan may be looking at moving up for the third or fourth-best quarterback of the group.
And that doesn't sound very appealing on paper.
Of course, there's no guarantee the Steelers will go the QB route with their top pick, but all signs seem to be pointing in this direction. Unless Khan stumbles upon a franchise quarterback by some other means—or he really believes in Drew Allar—taking a quarterback in Round 1 next year feels like the most likely path this team is heading toward.
The focus of the fanbase is obviously on the 2026 season and whether the team can avoid a ten-year drought without a playoff win. However, Coach Sarkisian's comments raise concerns about whether Arch Manning will even enter the draft next year.
If the plan for the Steelers is to take a massive swing on a franchise quarterback, there's a lot riding on Manning's decision.
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