Giovanni Manu, an offensive tackle from the University of British Columbia, was among the Detroit Lions’ most intriguing prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. Some media members didn’t even notice him, and he was a late-rising prospect, but Detroit was so convinced of his total talent that they sacrificed a 2025 third-round pick to draft him in the fourth round.
It turns out the intrigue goes even beyond picking an extremely huge and athletic tackle from a low level of competition. Apparently the Lions plan on changing his position—both to the other side of the line and at another position. Manu told TSN that Detroit plans on trying him out at right guard to start his NFL career.
If that isn’t clear enough for you, he also stated on the Donnie and Dhali program that right guard is in his future:
“I believe the intention is for me to play on the right side, which will be a change for me because I’m used to playing on the left. But I believe their ambition is for me to play right guard next to Penei Sewell, a fantastic right tackle. If I could earn that slot and play next to Penei Sewell, I believe that would be the NFL’s scariest right side.”
A 6-foot-8 offensive lineman rarely plays guard because standing so tall over shorter defensive tackles creates leverage concerns. It is not unheard of. Dan Skipper (6’9″) has played some guard. Landon Dickerson, a two-time Eagles Pro Bowl guard, and Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Detroit’s previous long-term right guard, both stand 6-foot-6.
And, while this move appears to be unusual, Manu is not in an entirely unfamiliar position. In 2022, he started six games for British Columbia at left guard.
