Lions bringing in Tongan Canadian sensation Giovanni Manu with the 126h pick in the 2024 NFL Draft

If you've been following the top-30 visits for every team in the last couple weeks then you have seen the name Gionvanni Manu. The Tongan offensive tackle out of British Columbia University had a very impressive workout that saw him run a 4.96 40-yard dash and jump a 33.5 inch vertical leap at 6-foot-7 and […]

Mike Payton — Detroit Lions Beat Writer
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University of British Columbia

If you've been following the top-30 visits for every team in the last couple weeks then you have seen the name Gionvanni Manu. The Tongan offensive tackle out of British Columbia University had a very impressive workout that saw him run a 4.96 40-yard dash and jump a 33.5 inch vertical leap at 6-foot-7 and 352 pounds.

More than half the league was at his pro day and and he's had a top-30 visit with 12 teams. The Lions were one of them. They must have really liked what they saw, because they traded up in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft to make sure they got him. Manu is a Lion.

Manu is an incredible athlete for his size. Not only did he play football at British Columbia, but he also played basketball too. He is a giant of a man and likely to be a top project for Hank Fraley and the Lions offensive line staff. 

That works out well for the Lions since they have time to develop him into something they feel good about before they eventually put him in a starting role. 

In terms of an immediate reaction, this seems a bit high for Manu. He was someone that teams have been buzzing about a lot lately, but the expectation was that he would go lower in the draft. If the Lions can mold him into a solid player, then this is totally worth it. The body size and athleticism is worth the risk. 

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