Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam doesn’t expect Arch Manning to declare for the NFL draft anytime soon. The Texas quarterback has been linked to Cleveland in speculation, but Yahoo Sports analyst Jason Owens thinks the franchise will look elsewhere for their next franchise quarterback.
“I don’t know Arch at all. I bet he stays in college two more years. I don’t even think that’s worth discussing,” Haslam said.
The Browns currently have Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel competing for the starting quarterback position.
If neither quarterback proves ready to lead the team, Owens suggests Cleveland could target other prospects in upcoming drafts. Cade Klubnik from Clemson and LaNorris Sellers from South Carolina both could emerge as top draft candidates.
“But in the instance that neither (Shedeur or Gabriel is ready to be QB1), the tank in Cleveland could certainly be on sooner than later once the season starts. And Manning won’t be the only quarterback worth targeting,” Owens wrote.
The connection between Haslam and the Manning family stems from both being Tennessee natives. Haslam knows Peyton Manning personally, which has fueled fan speculation about pursuing his nephew Arch.
However, if Manning stays in college through 2027 as Haslam predicts, Cleveland’s focus will shift to other quarterback prospects.
“Clemson’s Cade Klubnik or South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers could also emerge as top-pick candidates, whether Manning ends up declaring or not. And if Gabriel and Sanders don’t hit, the priority in Cleveland — as it has been for most of the team’s existence — will be to finally find that elusive franchise quarterback.”
