ESPN’s draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has addressed growing questions surrounding Arch Manning’s absence from his latest NFL Draft big board. Despite Manning’s high-profile name and status as one of college football’s most watched quarterbacks, Kiper was firm in explaining that he does not rank players on reputation alone. Instead, his evaluations are based strictly on performance, consistency, and pro-level readiness — areas where he feels Manning still needs to show much more before earning a spot among the top prospects.
Kiper emphasized that while Manning has flashed talent and poise, particularly in spurts, his overall body of work does not yet compare to other quarterbacks in his class. He pointed out lingering concerns with decision-making, ball placement, and handling pressure in big moments. Manning’s limited experience as a full-time starter also weighs heavily in the evaluation, with Kiper noting that scouts prefer a larger sample size of sustained production before considering someone a legitimate first-round talent.
Still, Kiper was careful not to dismiss Manning’s future potential. He acknowledged that the young quarterback has the physical tools and pedigree to develop into a high draft pick down the road. However, for now, Manning remains more of a projection than a polished product. Until he proves he can consistently lead an offense and perform against top-level competition, Kiper says he won’t make the mistake of ranking him prematurely — regardless of the Manning family legacy.
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