When he put pen to paper with Clemson earlier this month, it marked the fulfillment of what Michael Mankaka has called a “lifelong dream” of being a part of the Tigers’ football program.
The talented in-state athlete from Laurens (S.C.) High School signed with Clemson as a preferred walk-on during National Signing Day on Wednesday, Feb. 2.
“I’m very excited. I feel like there’s lots of opportunity there,” Mankaka said to The Clemson Insider. “They’re one of those schools where it doesn’t matter how you come in. If you work hard and you get your opportunity and you take advantage of your shot, you can make a lot out of it. So, I’m very excited. I feel like there’s good opportunity there. It’s just going to be hard work and keeping my head down and pursuing my goal and maintaining my vision.”
Mankaka – a wide receiver/defensive back who moved to South Carolina and played at Laurens as a senior after transferring from Mayo (Minn.) High School – committed to Clemson last July shortly after receiving a PWO offer from Tigers receivers coach Tyler Grisham.
The caliber of receivers that have come through “Wide Receiver U” in the past is what appealed most to Mankaka about Clemson and one of the big reasons why he wanted to be a Tiger himself.
“What drew me to Clemson the most, I’d have to say, was watching them at a young age – watching Sammy Watkins torch guys and watching DeAndre Hopkins, the best receiver in the NFL, and Tee Higgins and then now Justyn Ross,” Mankaka said. “It’s like wow, the receivers over there have great success, and on top of that, the coaching over there is amazing. They’ve got a great atmosphere, they’ve got great coaches, and I was just like hey, if the opportunity ever gets there, definitely don’t turn that down and think twice before doing so.”
Mankaka (6-2, 180) started at both receiver and cornerback for Laurens this past season. Though he missed a handful of games due to COVID-19 and injury, he still had a strong campaign and earned all-county and all-state honors.
Mankaka expects to be a receiver at Clemson but didn’t rule out the possibility of playing on defense if the Tigers need him to, citing former Tiger Derion Kendrick as an example.
Kendrick came to Clemson as a receiver in 2018 before moving to cornerback on an emergency basis in the spring of 2019 and ultimately sticking at corner.
“I anticipate as of now to stay as a receiver there,” Mankaka said. “Obviously crazy things can happen where the team will need a substitution or something, just some depth at a position. Like DK, he was an athlete coming out of high school. So, that’s the type of situation I’m anticipating, receiver. But my athletic background and my background playing multiple positions definitely comes into play when team needs take over your own personal desires.”
Mankaka caught the eye of Grisham last summer when he worked out with him at the Dabo Swinney Camp.
“He said, going back to camp, he obviously likes me as a receiver,” Mankaka recalled. “He feels like I have a lot of potential. Still very raw, but very athletic. And he says he definitely likes how coachable I was and how much I paid attention to detail and maintained the little things and then grew as well at camp. So, definitely being coachable, and he likes me as a receiver – athleticism and all that stuff.”
What has Mankaka heard from Grisham and the coaching staff as he gets ready to enroll at Clemson this summer and join the Tigers as a preferred walk-on?
“They made it very clear that the main thing is it’s an opportunity and how hard I’m willing to work,” he said. “It’s a big opportunity, and I’m ready to work for it.”
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