Longhorns Daily News: Will Texas backup QB KJ Lacey succeed Arch Manning in 2027?

AUSTIN, TEXAS - APRIL 18: KJ Lacey Jr. #9 of the Texas Longhorns looks to pass the ball during the Texas Spring Football Game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on April 18, 2026 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Scott Wachter/Getty Images for ONIT) | Getty Images for ONITIt’s unclear whether returning starter Arch Manning will declare for the NFL Draft following the 2026 college football season, foregoing the incoming redshirt junior’s final season of Longhorns eligibility.Even so, the talking sports heads and blogging bros can’t get enough speculation as to who will eventually replace Manning. And word out of the 40 Acres now that the spring game has come and went is that the answer to who’s up next is… true freshman KJ Lacey, who has stood throughout the preseason thus far.AdvertisementFrom Sports Illustrated: “Lacey entered his true freshman season buried on the depth chart as the third-string quarterback, completing just one pass all year. Still, even late last season, head coach Steve Sarkisian made it clear the staff was encouraged by his development.”WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT THE LONGHORNS Austin American-Statesman: Oklahoma State softball upsets Texas in final non-conference game of the seasonAustin American-Statesman: The basketball portal has closed. What’s next for the Texas Longhorns?Inside Texas: Former Longhorns Drew Kelson and Jett Bush break down Texas’ Spring GameAdvertisementICYMI IN BURNT ORANGE NATION 2026 NFL Draft profile: Texas LB Trey Moore2026 NFL Draft profile: Texas S Michael TaaffeRECRUITING ROUNDUP 247Sports: Inside Top247 LB Mikahi Allen’s recruitment as he pushes OV total to six247Sports: Scruggs Scoop: The latest on Semaj Stanford and something to keep in mind between now and December247Sports: Recruiting Intel: International DL narrows to 5 schools, a school to watch with decision nearingInside Texas: Peyton Miller Recruiting Update: Where things stand, upcoming visitsSEC SHOWDOWN Inside Texas: Which SEC head coaches are actually on the hot seat entering 2026?AdvertisementInside Texas: So who is actually good in SEC baseball?Rock M Nation: Spring Vibe Check: The spectrum of human experienceRocky Top Talk: Tennessee basketball set for N.C. State matchup in NashvilleDawg Sports: Midweek games are important…but not too muchA Sea Of Blue: Former Kentucky recruit Tounde Yessoufou enters transfer portal, but another school has early buzzWHAT WE’RE READING NEWS ACROSS LONGHORN NATION AND BEYOND Here, have a hit of hope-ium.