The first thing you notice about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu is his size.
To use some modern football vernacular, he害羞草研究所檚 a dude.
At 6害羞草研究所�7害羞草研究所� and 350 pounds, he looks like he could steamroll right over you. He also looks like he could dunk a basketball with ease.
Theo Benedet, the two-time J.P. Metras Award winner as the best offensive lineman in CIS football, is no slouch either when it comes to passing the eyeball test.
He害羞草研究所檚 6害羞草研究所�7害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所榦nly害羞草研究所� 295 pounds.
And people have noticed the pair, particularly south of the border.
National Football League teams have been scouting the duo and this weekend we will find out that level of interest as the NFL Draft takes place April 26 through 28.
Manu, a Pitt Meadows Secondary grad, has drawn a lot of interest from NFL teams especially since UBC held its Pro Day March 29th at B.C. Place Stadium when he, Benedet and seven other UBC players worked out for over 20 teams from the NFL and CFL.
Make no mistake, they were there to check out Manu and Benedet.
The pair didn害羞草研究所檛 disappoint when it came to their test results either.
Both put up numbers that would have ranked among the elite NCAA offensive linemen that participated at the NFL Combine that took place in Indianapolis from February 29th to March 3rd. Manu was clocked at 5.03 in the 40-yard dash with a 33.5 inch vertical leap. He also bench-pressed 225 pounds for 23 reps.
Benedet was timed at 5.14 seconds in the 40-yard dash with a 34.5 inch vertical and bench-pressed 225 for 23 repetitions.
Both athletes credit UBC Strength and Conditioning coach Joe McCullum for the strides they害羞草研究所檝e made in the weight room since first arriving at the Point Grey campus.
害羞草研究所淚 think the obvious thing that stands out for me physically is just being able to work with Joe McCallum害羞草研究所� responded Benedet in terms of where he was as a freshman recruit from Handsworth Secondary to where he is now.
害羞草研究所淚n my opinion, he害羞草研究所檚 the best that there is. I害羞草研究所檝e added 60 pounds basically of lean muscle mass, so I think that害羞草研究所檚 been the first thing that害羞草研究所檚 really been added to my game but it害羞草研究所檚 also understanding how to train to be a football player a lot better than when I came in,害羞草研究所� said Benedet.
The physical measurables are imperative when it comes to getting a shot in the NFL.
You can be recognized as an All-Star or award winner but if you害羞草研究所檙e not a certain height, weight or have a 40-time that meets the standard, you害羞草研究所檙e pretty much kicked to the curb.
I害羞草研究所檝e never been a fan of that but it害羞草研究所檚 a fact of life when it comes to football.
Both of these athletes have the measurables to get drafted害羞草研究所r at worst to get an NFL training camp invite.
But what also bodes well for the pair is the coaching they received this past season from UBC offensive line coach Dan Dorazio.
Yes, that Dan Dorazio 害羞草研究所� the former o-line coach for Wally Buono in Calgary and B.C. who spent over two decades each in the NCAA and CFL and is well respected on both sides of the border.
害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 a great o-line coach. He taught me the real way to play the game as an offensive lineman. He taught me that you can害羞草研究所檛 be passive 害羞草研究所� you害羞草研究所檝e got to be aggressive,害羞草研究所� said Manu.
Both players agree that Dorazio not only taught them the finer techniques of offensive line play but to look 害羞草研究所� and understand 害羞草研究所� the big picture from an offensive perspective.
害羞草研究所淚 think what helped me long term is just his knowledge of the game and schematics in the box and on the line of scrimmage. He taught us what the defense is doing schematically and how they害羞草研究所檙e trying to attack our offense and what kind of cues I can take based off that to play with more anticipation. I just think my general football IQ has gone through the roof having been able to work with him,害羞草研究所� stated Benedet.
Benedet has had interest from Buffalo (he recently worked out for the Bills in Toronto) and both New York teams as well as Indianapolis, where he actually flew in for a 害羞草研究所楾op 30害羞草研究所� visit (NFL teams are allowed to invite up to 30 players to their complex for meetings but teams are prohibited from working out players).
Manu, meanwhile, has seen his world change since the UBC Pro Day.
He was on the road for 11 days straight afterwards, visiting the Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, New York Jets, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals among others.
害羞草研究所淚t was amazing. It was great to see coaches and people that I grew up watching on the sideline on TV and now I害羞草研究所檓 seeing them face-to-face and they害羞草研究所檙e asking me how I approach the game and just wanting to get to know me as a person off the field,害羞草研究所� said Manu.
Among the luminaries?
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell.
害羞草研究所淛erry Jones - it was great to have dinner with him and just meet him at the facility. It was about a 40-minute interview at the facility with him and the Cowboys front office people. They just wanted to get to know me as a player and as a person off the field and basically my whole backstory,害羞草研究所� explained Manu.
As for Campbell, Manu got a chuckle out of meeting him as he reminded him of UBC Head Coach Blake Nill.
害羞草研究所淗e was a great guy. I was just talking with Coach Nill and told him if you two happen to meet each other one day, you guys are going to become best buddies right away,害羞草研究所� laughed Manu.
When the NFL Draft does take place this weekend, both players will be with their respective families.
Whether it害羞草研究所檚 getting drafted or getting signed as a free agent, they will take a moment to look back at the journey and reflect.
For Manu, it will be about how his mother sent him to British Columbia from his native Tonga to live with his aunt to hopefully get an education (he is five courses short of his sociology degree which his mom says he must finish). He害羞草研究所檒l think about that day as an incoming freshman when Nill, who he calls a father figure, told him if he applied himself over the course of the next four years, he could be an NFL lineman.
Benedet will look back and remember how he started to believe he could have a future in football when his coach at Handsworth 害羞草研究所� ex-SFU and CFL linebacker Richard White 害羞草研究所� told him he could do something with the game, and as Benedet said, 害羞草研究所榦pened his eyes.害羞草研究所�
Both will look back at their time at UBC and remember what Nill, Dorazio, McCallum and all the other people associated with the program have done for them.
They害羞草研究所檒l both be relieved knowing that this part of their journey is over.
They might enjoy themselves for a day or two but after that the real work will begin as they prepare for the next part of their journey.
I, for one, am excited to see where it goes.
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob 害羞草研究所渢he Moj害羞草研究所� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
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