SI All-American Candidate Devon Manuel Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: Devon Manuel
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-8, 300 pounds
School: Arnaudville (La.) Beau Chene
Committed to: Arkansas
Projected Position: Offensive Tackle
Frame: Mammoth. Towers over peers. Broad shoulders, wide waist and thick legs – especially for a player so tall. Significant growth potential in the upper body.
Athleticism: More coordinated and dexterous than explosive. Relatively quick in short areas. Churns feet with surprising speed when drive blocking. Shows innate power even without maintaining a low base. Limited mobility in space could improve markedly in the college S&C program.
Instincts: Intent on dominating defenders one-on-one. Uses sheer size to overwhelm linemen in the run game. Comfortable re-setting feet when pass-rushers change course. He has a natural sense of angles when re-directing.
Polish: Something close to a blank slate in terms of technique. Has a consistent kick slide in pass protection must be implemented. He has a tendency to lose his base in the run game, which is unsurprising given height. Needs to develop a punch to take advantage of supreme length.
Bottom Line: Manuel’s combination of size and raw athletic traits are tantalizing. Has long road ahead of him on the practice field and in the weight room, but boasts the tools of a starting SEC tackle. Arkansas is hoping he ends up on the left side, though lack of elite quickness could push him right.