Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort could add a high-upside quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft if one analyst’s projection holds.
Ethan Woodie of NFLTradeRumors.co has the Cardinals selecting Texas quarterback Arch Manning with the No. 7 overall pick in his Updated 2027 NFL Mock Draft 5.0, published Oct. 26.
Woodie bases the draft order on Tankathon projections through Week 7 of the 2026 NFL season, prior to Monday Night Football. The Cardinals currently sit at 2-5.
The site’s mock places Manning in Arizona after the New York Jets (via Indianapolis) take Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore at No. 6 and before Tampa Bay selects Indiana wide receiver Charlie Becker at No. 8.
Woodie acknowledges that college football fans may criticize the choice. He writes that Manning “seems to be their favorite punching bag.”
Yet the analyst still views the Texas signal-caller as one of the most gifted quarterback prospects in years. Woodie notes that greater consistency and better field vision would make Manning the first quarterback off the board.
Even with those areas for growth, Woodie concludes that Manning remains a top-10 selection if he declares for the draft.
Manning, a 6-foot-4, 222-pound senior from New Orleans, has completed 124 of 196 passes (63.3 percent) for 1,507 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions through seven games this season. He has also rushed for 110 yards and two scores on 57 carries.
The Longhorns stand at 5-2. Manning’s 2025 campaign produced 3,163 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions on a 61.4 percent completion rate.
Arizona enters the season without a clear long-term answer at quarterback. Veteran Jacoby Brissett, operating on a one-year deal, has remained the starter while third-round rookie Carson Beck has seen limited action.
Woodie’s projection would give the Cardinals a prospect with elite physical tools and a famous pedigree as the nephew of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning.
The mock does not delve into scheme fit or specific roster needs beyond the selection itself. It simply positions Manning as available and worthy of the No. 7 slot based on talent.
Critics of Manning have pointed to inconsistent decision-making and accuracy in 2026. Woodie does not dispute those concerns.
Instead, he frames them as correctable issues that do not outweigh the quarterback’s overall upside for a team picking in the top 10.
If the Cardinals finish near their current projected draft position and Manning enters the draft, Woodie’s scenario would pair one of the class’s highest-ceiling passers with a franchise still searching for its next franchise quarterback.
The final draft order, Manning’s decision and Arizona’s performance over the remaining 2026 schedule will determine whether that pairing becomes realistic.
