Arch Manning was the presumptive QB1 prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft, but early-season inconsistencies have seen his stock plummet.Manning’s perfect 4-0 start was brought to an end against the Oklahoma Sooners after two costly fourth-quarter interceptions.Manning’s second interception with 30 seconds left set up the Sooners’ game-winning field goalGettyIt’s now five interceptions on the season for Manning, who was touted to lead the ‘loaded’ 2027 pool of quarterbacks. Through five games, Manning has thrown for 1,122 yards, 10 touchdowns and rushed for an additional 102 yards.The nephew of NFL great quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning has carried the aforementioned top prospect hype since he was in high school.Opting to return to college instead of declaring for the 2026 Draft, Manning’s inconsistent start has seen him fall in ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr’s big board rankings.Manning outside Top 5 quarterback rankingsManning is ranked 24th on Kiper Jr’s Top 25 College Football players, behind five quarterbacks.Drew Mestemaker (Oklahoma), Darian Mensah (Miami), Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss), CJ Carr (Notre Dame), and Austin Simmons (Missouri) are all ahead of him.While Kiper Jr can clearly see the talent that has led others to describe him as a ‘freak’ athlete, there are glaring issues that need to be addressed.“I see the size, mobility and arm strength that NFL teams look for in a franchise quarterback. He can make throws rolling out, and he is dangerous as a runner,” Kiper Jr wrote.“But Manning is too inconsistent, especially when it comes to accuracy and decision-making. He’s going to be a tough evaluation.“Watch just about any game he plays, and you’ll ride the roller coaster of getting excited about his NFL ceiling and then wondering whether he’s ever going to truly put it all together. Manning has thrown for 1,122 yards and 10 touchdowns amid Texas’ 4-1 startGettyKiper Jr. believes Manning is too inconsistent, but is a ‘dangerous’ prospectGetty“Manning doesn’t see the field as well as other quarterbacks on this list, and he occasionally throws off balance. “While the accuracy is better this season than it was in 2025, it still has to improve. I’m very curious to see how the rest of this season plays out.”Former punter is Kiper’s current No. 1 quarterbackOklahoma’s Drew Mestemaker is the highest-ranked quarterback on the ESPN legend’s list, and is currently the second best prospect in the class.Mestemaker was a punter for his high school team, before walking on at North Texas in 2024 and becoming their starter a year later.So far, the 20-year-old has posted 1,575 yards, 13 touchdowns and two further scores on the ground.“His toolbox is also pretty incredible. I love the way he scans the field and bides his time in the pocket,” Kiper wrote. Mestemaker is now ranked as the No. 1 QB prospect in the countryGetty“Mestemaker has the big arm to make all of the throws, with 30 completions going for 20-plus yards this season (third in the FBS).“Mestemaker shows linebacker-esque toughness and plays with a competitive edge. “He doesn’t turn 21 years old until January, and he has just 20 career starts to his name. So, there’s a lot of untapped potential.”Join talkSPORT’s dedicated US Sports YouTube channel The S* Word every Tuesday and Thursday for our brand new NFL shows.On Tuesdays, Will Gavin and US senior reporter Brian T. Smith will debate the biggest talking points from the NFL weekend, while on Thursdays Efe Obada joins the crew to talk to players past and present and break down what to look for across the league.