Offensive lineman Giovanni Manu selected by Detroit Lions, becomes 1st UBC player ever taken in NFL draft
Canadian football observers thought it could happen, and on Saturday, it did. Towering offensive lineman Giovanni Manu – who was born in Tonga and grew up in Pitt Meadows, B.C. – became the first player from the University of British Columbia ever to be selected in the NFL draft.
The Detroit Lions selected Manu in the fourth round of the draft, using the 126th overall pick on the 6'8", 350-pound offensive tackle.
Manu arrived on campus at UBC when he was just 16 years old and credits the Thunderbirds coaching staff with helping him grow as a person and develop into an NFL prospect.
"Coach (Blake) Nill, he's like a father figure to me. And even my positional coach, Dan Dorazio. They're great guys," he said in an interview with CTV News earlier this month.
"I cherish the six years that I've been here. It's definitely something I'll always remember and tell my kids in the future."
Manu and highly touted teammate Theo Benedet anchored a UBC offensive line that allowed 15 sacks and helped the offence average 6.8 yards per rush last season.
The Thunderbirds reached the Vanier Cup last year, dropping a 16-9 decision to the Montreal Carabins. Still, it was UBC's first appearance in the Canadian university football championship game since 2015.
Ahead of this weekend's draft, TSN NFL insider Farhan Lalji told CTV News Manu projected as a mid-to-late-round pick who was likely to start his time in the NFL on a team's practice squad.
Manu has only played against Canadian competition at the USports level, and Lalji thinks NFL teams will see him as a player-development project.
"But I don't think it's going to take long until we see this guy in the National Football League," Lalji said earlier this month.
"It's not a question of if, but when."
On Saturday, Lalji shared a video on social media of the moment Manu found out he had been drafted.
Manu joins a Lions team that came close to its first-ever Super Bowl appearance last season, before a second-half collapse saw them lose the NFC Championship Game to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Lions were one of more than a dozen teams that had expressed interest in Manu at UBC's pro day or in private meetings with the player.
Manu will be joining at least one other Canadian on Detroit's roster when training camp begins this summer. Earlier in the off-season, Detroit signed Canadian defensive lineman Mathieu Betts, who was the CFL's top defensive player last season with the B.C. Lions.
Detroit appears set at tackle with Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker, but looked to improve its overall depth by selecting Manu.
Manu was also listed in eighth spot on the CFL Scouting Bureau's list.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Ben Miljure and The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadians feel grocery inflation getting worse, two in five boycotting Loblaw: poll
Almost two-thirds of Canadians feel that inflation at the grocery store is getting worse, a new poll suggests, even as food inflation has been steadily cooling.
Norway, Ireland and Spain say they are recognizing a Palestinian state in a historic move
Norway, Ireland and Spain said on Wednesday they are recognizing a Palestinian state, in a historic but largely symbolic move that deepens Israel’s isolation more than seven months into its grinding war against Hamas in Gaza.
NEW How to remove ticks and what to know about these bloodsuckers
Ticks are parasitic bloodsuckers, capable of spreading deadly disease, and they’re becoming increasingly common. Here’s what you need to know about them.
opinion Joe Biden uses bully pulpit to bully Donald Trump on debates
Donald Trump had spent weeks needling U.S. President Joe Biden for his refusal to commit to a debate. But Washington political columnist Eric Ham describes how in one fell swoop, Biden ingeniously stole the issue from the Trump campaign and made it his own.
Barbie will make dolls to honour Venus Williams, Christine Sinclair and other athletes
Barbie dolls will honour Canadian soccer star Christine Sinclair and tennis champion Venus Williams, plus seven other athletes as part of a project announced by Mattel on Wednesday.
Ontario mother loses $2,500 to text scammer pretending to be daughter
An Ontario mother lost $2,500 to a scammer pretending to be her daughter asking for help in late April.
Montreal photographer captures dramatic Canada goose vs. fox fight on video
A Montreal photographer captured the moment a Canada goose defended itself from a fox at the Botanical Garden.
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From artificial intelligence running wild to collapsing ecosystems, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the near future.
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.