Giovanni Manu
| UBC Thunderbirds – No. 76 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Offensive lineman |
| Class | Senior |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | January 26, 2001 Tonga |
| Height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Weight | 350 lb (159 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College | UBC (2018–2023) |
| High school | Pitt Meadows Secondary School |
Werner "Giovanni" Manu (born January 26, 2001) is a Tongan gridiron football player. He played U Sports football for the UBC Thunderbirds.
Early life
Manu was born on January 26, 2001, in Tonga.[1] He moved to British Columbia in Canada to live with an aunt at the age of 11.[2] He entered the Pitt Meadows Secondary School and tried out football soon after.[3] He also played basketball.[4]
College career
Manu enrolled at the University of British Columbia in 2018 and redshirted his first year on the UBC Thunderbirds football team.[5] He won a starting role on the offensive line in 2019 as the team went 2–6.[6][7] The 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Manu then started all seven games at left tackle in 2021.[8][9] He started games at both left tackle and left guard in 2022 and was selected second-team All-Canadian.[10] He and fellow Thunderbirds offensive lineman Theo Benedet were both ranked as among the top prospecs for the 2023 CFL draft, but opted to return to UBC for a final season.[11][12] He repeated as a second-team All-Canadian choice in the 2023 selection and helped UBC make their first appearance in the Vanier Cup since 2015.[13]
Professional career
In addition to being a top-ranked prospect for the 2024 CFL draft, Manu also received attention as a potential selection in the 2024 NFL draft, receiving praise for his skills and size.[14][15][16]
References
- ^ Brugler, Dane (April 2024). "The Beast: 2024 NFL Draft Guide" (PDF). The Athletic. p. 133.
- ^ Hodge, John (April 26, 2024). "UBC OL Giovanni Manu hoping to shine light on U Sports as first NFL draft pick since 2016". 3DownNation.com.
- ^ Gumboc, Annaliese (April 25, 2024). "The NFL has never drafted a player straight from UBC. Giovanni Manu and Theo Benedet could change that". The Ubyssey.
- ^ Brugler, Dane (April 2024). "The Beast: 2024 NFL Draft Guide" (PDF). The Athletic. p. 133.
- ^ Kruse, Zach (April 13, 2024). "Packers to host British Columbia OT Giovanni Manu on top 30 pre-draft visit". USA Today.
- ^ Brugler, Dane (April 2024). "The Beast: 2024 NFL Draft Guide" (PDF). The Athletic. p. 133.
- ^ Hodge, John (April 26, 2024). "UBC OL Giovanni Manu hoping to shine light on U Sports as first NFL draft pick since 2016". 3DownNation.com.
- ^ Brugler, Dane (April 2024). "The Beast: 2024 NFL Draft Guide" (PDF). The Athletic. p. 133.
- ^ Kruse, Zach (April 13, 2024). "Packers to host British Columbia OT Giovanni Manu on top 30 pre-draft visit". USA Today.
- ^ Abbott, JC (February 18, 2024). "UBC Thunderbirds to host NFL pro day for top OL prospects Theo Benedet, Giovanni Manu". 3DownNation.com.
- ^ Ewen, Steve (January 28, 2023). "Top UBC offensive linemen run reverse play, opting out of CFL draft for another T-Bird season". The Province.
- ^ Tucker, Brandon (September 12, 2022). "Pitt Meadows football star makes list of top-2o CFL Draft prospects". Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News.
- ^ Ewen, Steve (April 25, 2024). "UBC has never had a player picked in the NFL Draft — could they have two by the end of the weekend?". The Province.
- ^ Ewen, Steve (April 25, 2024). "UBC has never had a player picked in the NFL Draft — could they have two by the end of the weekend?". The Province.
- ^ Tucker, Brandon (January 26, 2024). "Pitt Meadows athlete cracks top-10 of CFL Scouting Bureau list". Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News.
- ^ Miljure, Ben (April 18, 2024). "UBC football star turning heads in lead up to NFL draft". CTV News.