Tag: Giovanni Manu

Dan Campbell on Lions rookie OL Giovanni Manu: ‘He is swimming’

Dan Campbell on Lions rookie OL Giovanni Manu: ‘He is swimming’ as a raw project in his first NFL minicamp

When the Detroit Lions traded up into the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft to select Giovanni Manu, the move was made with a clear eye for the future. For Manu, an offensive line prospect from the University of British Columbia with scant football experience, the present tense is all about learning and developing.

That’s something that has been as evident during Lions OTAs. Offensive line coach Hank Fraley has spent considerable time teaching the basics to Manu. It’s not been a quick or easy process for Manu, according to Lions head coach Dan Campbell.

“Yes, he’s swimming. He is swimming,” coach Campbell said before the start of this week’s mandatory minicamp. “But we expected him to be swimming. We fully expected this to get worse before it ever gets better. He’s trying to find his way.”

As Campbell continued, he described in detail a player who has to be taught just about everything needed to actually play offensive line.

“We’re back to the basics of how you get into a stance properly, where your weight goes, when you get out of a stance, where your help is, certainly the scheme, the MIKE, working with others, working with the tight end in this combination, working with the guard, pass and twist – he’s just in the infant stages of here we go.”

It’s not a surprise that Manu is a raw project. Campbell himself acknowledged that, noting that “we’re literally working from the ground up, and we knew it was going to be that way.”

It’s a clear indication that the team isn’t expecting much of a rookie contribution from the supremely athletic Manu. Much like Brodric Martin last season, Manu’s rookie campaign will be about learning how to do everything it takes to be a professional football player. The Lions are betting on the athleticism and driven character of Manu, as well as the developmental prowess of Fraley and the coaching staff, will pay big dividends down the road.

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Detroit Lions Podcast: Bish and Brown on the Lions 2024 NFL Draft class and Goff extension

Detroit Lions Podcast: Lions Wire’s Scott Bischoff and Russ Brown break down the Lions 2024 NFL Draft class and Goff extension

Russell Brown and Scott Bischoff return on the Detroit Lions Podcast! In this episode, the guys talk about the following:

  • In-depth analysis on each draft pick from the Lions 2024 NFL Draft Class
  • Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw give the Lions a long-term plan at cornerback.
  • They have a day 3 pick that could start right now?
  • The final segment of the show is about the Jared Goff extension with the Lions.

The guys get into all that and more right here on the Detroit Lions Podcast! Be sure to rate, review and subscribe to the show with YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify and wherever you get your favorite shows!

Lions sign four 2024 draft picks ahead of rookie minicamp

Lions sign four 2024 draft picks ahead of rookie minicamp as well as several UDFAs

As rookie minicamp is set to kick off on Friday, the Detroit Lions took care of some formalities with some of the participants. The Lions announced they have signed four members of the team’s draft class of 2024.

The Lions signed the final four selections of their class:

OL Giovanni Manu

RB Sione Vaki

DL Mekhi Wingo

OG Christian Mahogany

All received their standard contract commensurate with their draft slot, as predetermined by the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement with the NFLPA.

Detroit also signed several undrafted rookie free agents:

WR Jalon Calhoun – Duke
LB Steele Chambers – Ohio State
C Duke Clemens – UCLA
C Kingsley Eguakun – Florida
S Chelen Garnes – Wake Forest
LB DaRon Gilbert – Northern Illinois
LS Hogan Hatten – Idaho
C Bryan Hudson – Louisville
OLB Nate Lynn – William & Mary
CB Morice Norris – Fresno State
TE Isaac Rex – BYU
S Loren Strickland – Ball State
K James Turner – Michigan
OLB Isaac Ukwu – Mississippi
WR Isaiah Williams – Illinois

All are expected to be in action later today when minicamp starts.

Watch: Detroit Lions Podcast draft recap episode

Watch: Detroit Lions Podcast recaps and breaks down the 2024 NFL draft in Detroit and the Lions’ picks

The latest edition of the Detroit Lions Podcast is now available to stream or download. This week’s live episode, recorded on Monday night, is devoted to the 2024 NFL draft weekend and what happened for the Lions.

From showing some love to Detroit as an excellent host city for the event to roaming through each of the Lions’ picks, this one breaks down all things Detroit Lions draft.

It’s a pretty impressive draft haul from Lions GM Brad Holmes, though the immediate contributions might not be huge from the draft class. We break down how each player fits in the big picture as well as in 2024.

There is also a segment near the end going over the recent contract extensions to Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown.

The audio-only version of the podcast is now available from your favorite podcast provider.

New Lions OT Giovanni Manu draws inspiration from All-Pro Penei Sewell

New Lions OT Giovanni Manu draws inspiration from All-Pro Penei Sewell, a fellow Polynesian

Giovanni Manu has a very interesting path to becoming a fourth-round pick of the Detroit Lions. From a boy growing up in Tonga to playing high school basketball in western Canada, it’s a very unusual background for an NFL offensive lineman.

Manu is a proud Tongan, and his Polynesian heritage is fiercely important to him. That’s something he’s got in common with the man he’s now backing up in Detroit, All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell, who is of Samoan heritage.

Tonga and Samoa are near one another in the South Pacific. Manu noted that proximity when talking about how appreciative he is to land in Detroit with Sewell. Manu considers him a massive role model and influence on his life.

“Yeah, I look up to Penei a lot. I do study a lot of his film,” Manu tolkd reporters over draft weekend. “I think he’s the best tackle in the league right now. He moves so fluid for how big he is and not just that, but he’s an inspiration to the Polynesian community.”

Manu specifically cited Sewell’s draft process and how open he was about encouraging kids just like him.

“I remember when I was in college, I watched his Draft Day process, and it was just basically a vlog of his whole day of being drafted. I remember he ended the vlog by saying, ‘Any Polynesian kids out there,’ and he named all the islands and I remember he said Tonga. He said, ‘If you kids out there want to make it to the NFL, you can truly make it if you put your mind to it.’

And I remember I was in my second year of college when he said that, and I remember him saying that. It really motivated me, and I told myself, ‘If one of my fellow Polynesian brothers can make it, which is him – and he’s giving me words of motivation, there’s no reason why I can’t do it either.’ So, he’s a true inspiration, not only to Samoa, but to the whole Polynesian community. And it’s great that I’ll be playing with a guy like that, and I just hope to soak up as much information and technique from him.”

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Giovanni Manu: What the Detroit Lions are getting in their 4th-round offensive tackle

Giovanni Manu was a surprise pick by the Lions in the fourth round, but Russell Brown breaks down the game film and likes what he sees

Entering the third and final day of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions were scheduled to make four picks and they did just that. To start the day off, the Lions surprised plenty of people trading up and selecting British Columbia OT Giovanni Manu.

It’s not every year that we see college football players out of Canada selected in the NFL Draft but this year, the Lions may have gotten the best one. While the Lions gave up a 2025 3rd Round Pick to draft Manu, there’s much to be desired with his skill-set.

For starters, he’s 6-foot-7 and 352 pounds and had a very good Pro Day in front of NFL teams. This led to him having 11 pre-draft visits, including Detroit. At his Pro Day, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.96 seconds and had 23 reps in the bench press. His 33.5″ vertical jump for a player of his size is also impressive. Let’s take it a step further and look into the tape to see what the Lions are getting with Giovanni Manu from British Columbia!

Starting with the first play, you can see Giovanni Manu aligned as the left tackle (#76) for the British Columbia offense. Immediately, you’ll notice how flexible his lower half is with good knee bend. This helps him lower his pad level and work his hands into the defenders chest plate.

Once the ball is snapped, you’ll see relatively quick feet from Manu in his kick-slide. This helps him mirror defenders off the edge. Most importantly, you can see the biggest asset to his game with his grip strength. Once his hands hit clean onto a defenders chest plate, it normally leads to Manu winning the rep. That’s exactly what happens on the play above.

Moving onto the next play, I want to showcase the power and strength that Manu possesses in the run game. Looking at the play above, you can see Manu highlighted at left tackle. Aligned across from him is a defensive end aligned in a 4-technique.

Once the ball is snapped, Manu reaches to his left and engages on the chest of the defensive end. With complete control, you can see Manu latch on and just overpower the opposition. Zero hesitation in his game, he shows good grip strength and leg drive as he slams the defender into the dirt.

Overall, it’s easy to see why the Lions jumped in front of most teams on day 3 to select him. There’s size and tools to work with when watching his tape. As I mentioned, he’s got a flexible lower half and very strong hands. He’ll need to fix his hand placement and he’ll have to adjust to the speed of the NFL but the potential is there for Manu to develop into something more. It’s unclear if he’ll play tackle or guard at the next level but either way, he was a much needed attention to the Lions offensive line.

Detroit Lions’ 2024 selections earn ‘Most Valuable Draft Class’ honor

Detroit Lions’ 2024 selections earn ‘Most Valuable Draft Class’ honor in Warren Sharp’s analytical measurement

NFL analyst Warren Sharp considers the Detroit Lions’ 2024 NFL Draft selections to be the “Most Valuable Draft Class” based on a new metric.

Sharp has come up with Draft Capital Over Expectation (DCOE), a formula that compiles mock drafts and big boards from reputable sources in order to assign a “value” to each draft-eligible player.

The metric then considers what draft capital was used for those picks. DCOE assigns a value associated with the averaged expected spot for the player and compares it to the spot where the player was drafted. Used a second-round pick on a guy that most thought would go in the fifth? You spent a lot on something much less valuable. Conversely, spend a fifth-round pick on a first-round talent that fell farther than expected and you spent very little for a “more valuable” player.

According to Sharp’s DCOE, the Detroit Lions came out on top.

Despite losing significant value on the Giovanni Manu pick, the Lions were cited by Sharp for “receiving substantial value in four of their six picks.”

Those picks were Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw, Mekhi Wingo, and Christian Mahogany. Mahogany is considered the highest value pick of the class as he was frequently mocked to go in the top-100, but was selected at pick 210.

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Wingo was selected 80 places later than DCOE predicted, Rakestraw was 21 past the expected number, and Arnold went 24th while the model suggested 16th overall.

DCOE does claim that the Lions overreached for Sione Vaki by 19 picks and that Manu was expected to go undrafted, meaning an extra amount was lost due to the Lions trading up to the fourth round for him.

The Dolphins, Chiefs, Steelers, and Eagles subsequently followed Detroit as the most valuable draft classes.

 

Grading the Lions selection of OT Giovanni Manu in fourth round

Grading the Detroit Lions selection after trading up to select OT Giovanni Manu from the University of British Columbia

The Detroit Lions, originally slated for a later pick in the NFL Draft, orchestrated a trade-up in the fourth round led by GM Brad Holmes, securing OT Giovanni Manu from the University of British Columbia by sending the New York Jets a 2025 third-round pick.

Manu, standing at an imposing 6-foot-8 and weighing 352 pounds, garnered attention for his exceptional athleticism, particularly remarkable for his size. His experience as a full-time starter, initially earning the left tackle role as a freshman and demonstrating versatility by playing guard, underscores his potential impact at the tackle position in the NFL.

While acknowledging Manu as a project, the Lions have the luxury of time to nurture his development, potentially deploying him as a swing tackle given the team’s thin offensive line depth. With guidance from Hank Fraley, renowned for his role in elevating the Lions’ offensive line, Manu has the opportunity to flourish.

Despite concerns surrounding Manu’s late surge in the draft process, his numerous Top-30 visits, including with the Lions, underscored his value as a prospect worth pursuing. While the trade-up cost of a future third-round pick may seem steep, the Lions viewed it as a worthwhile investment to secure Manu’s potential.

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Although Manu may initially see limited playing time, his considerable potential and existing intangibles position him as a valuable asset with the proper coaching and development. While some may have viewed him as an undrafted free agent prospect, the Lions recognized his talent and were determined to secure him, emphasizing their conviction in his future contributions to the team.

Grade: C

Lions create offensive line depth and versatility with Giovanni Manu

Lions create offensive line depth and versatility with fourth-round pick Giovanni Manu

The Detroit Lions traded up into the fourth round in order to draft Giovanni Manu, a massive offensive tackle from the University of British Columbia.

Standing at a massive 6-foot-7 and 352 pounds, the Tonga native was a relative unknown for most heading into this draft. Despite not going to the NFL Scouting Combine or getting much attention from draft experts, he impressed Detroit’s front office enough during both his pro day and his top-30 visit to warrant them giving up draft capital to nab him.

Manu played both tackle and guard for UBC and his size fits more to what Detroit likes at the guard position. In many ways, he’s a similar player to 2023 draft pick Colby Sorsdal.

His tape shows Manu is a physical player with athleticism that is simply unbelievable given how large his frame is. He is a very raw prospect who will need experience playing football in the United States against higher-quality talent. Training camp and the preseason will reveal much more about Manu as a football player.

Given that Detroit has its starting five linemen solidified already, we know Manu will not be getting first-team reps anytime soon.

Instead, he is a developmental piece who hopefully will mold himself into an NFL-caliber player in a few years. For now, he should be a reserve player at either the guard or tackle spots for Detroit.

 

Instant reaction to the Lions trading up to select Giovanni Manu and Sione Vaki

Instant reaction to the Lions trading up to select Giovanni Manu and Sione Vaki in the fourth round

For a team that wasn’t scheduled to have any picks in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft, it sure turned into an eventful round for the Detroit Lions.

Detroit and GM Brad Holmes made two separate trades to jump into the fourth round. The first saw the Lions send a 2025 third-round pick to the New York Jets for giant Giovanni Manu, an offensive tackle prospect who played college at British Columbia in Canada. The second trade dealt three picks (164, 201 and a 2025 fourth-rounder) to the Philadelphia Eagles for No. 132 and No. 210. With that pick, the Lions drafted Utah running back/safety Sione Vaki.

Manu is about as unknown of a prospect as there can be this early in the draft. A 6-foot-7, 352-pound native of Tonga, he went to Canada as a basketball player before outgrowing the sport. He’s played left tackle for the University of British Columbia. Dripping with athletic promise, Manu’s game is still raw.

Vaki did a little bit of everything at Utah. In 2023 alone, the 5-11, 210-pound athlete played at least 50 snaps at free safety, box safety, slot corner and off-ball LB on defense, as well as at running back. He even took 13 reps as a wildcat quarterback. In his introductory press conference, Vaki indicated the Lions will have him play running back as his primary position.

These are very interesting trades, particularly for Manu. Sending a 2025 third-round pick for a player who is unlikely to play before that season is a gamble on the player developmental prowess of offensive line coach Hank Fraley. On the surface, Manu provides an athletic but terribly inexperienced backup tackle to a team in desperate need of depth across the offensive line.

Befitting that he’s effectively a 2025 pick and cost the Lions no 2024 draft capital, judging the trade up and selection of Manu needs to wait until at least 2025. It’s an investment in the future with a player Holmes and the Lions clearly felt quite strongly about his potential.

Vaki figures to be a core special teams player in Detroit as well as a reserve running back. He’s an explosive but all-or-nothing type of runner, with a physical style and decent hands out of the backfield but not a lot of elusiveness or lateral quickness. The trade up indicates the Lions see him as a potential return specialist as well as a coverage teams demon.

Trading up into the fourth round to land players who almost certainly won’t contribute beyond special teams as rookies carries some risk for Holmes and Detroit. Should Manu prove a quick study and can be the No. 3 offensive tackle in 2024, that will help the perception, but that’s not a given.

This is an exercise in trusting Holmes to trust his board and his coaching staff for the long-term instead of drafting more for immediate need or rookie contribution. The pick traded away for Vaki were unlikely to do much on the field for 2024 either, so that should soften the blow if the new Lions don’t ultimately pan out.