Come this Sunday, Giovanni Manu will step out onto Ford Field for the first regular season game of his young professional football career.
The towering Pitt Meadows lineman made history by becoming the first UBC player to ever get drafted to the NFL, when he was selected by the Detroit Lions in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Since then, Manu has been on a fast track to pro football, diving headfirst into training camp back in July, where he made quite an impression according to Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley.
"I've been very pleased with him, he's learning a lot," said Fraley.
"He's coachable and he wants to learn. He's going to come along and it's going to be exciting to see him grow. He wants to be good and he's a hard worker and has a lot of talent. Now it's just about how quickly he can just go out there and function without thinking."
Manu's dedication to the sport was obvious when he stepped out onto the field, which led to him earning a spot on the Lions' 53-man roster.
During this time, it wasn't all back-breaking work, with Manu also getting to participate in some fun activities like a smoothie making competition among the rookies. Manu was unable to clinch the victory against rookie running back Sione Vaki.
He was also part of the rookie readiness program, which had him and his fellow first-year teammates learn important financial, media, and life skills from various professionals.
Part of this rookie program was an improv class, which Manu said he found very helpful.
"Doing these activities has brought us a lot tighter," said Manu. "Overall, I think it's taught me how to adapt to change right away. "
He's also seen plenty of action on the field already, with the Lions winning two of their three preseason games, including a tightly contested victory over last year's Super Bowl winners the Kansas City Chiefs.
This weekend will be the first time the offensive lineman gets to suit up for a regular season NFL game as the Lions prepare to host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night.
Manu will be one of four offensive linemen looking to keep the Rams at bay and help quarterback Jared Goff and the rest of the team bring home the first win of the 2024 regular season.
