Canadian OL Giovanni Manu to make first career NFL start for Detroit Lions

Photo: Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions have promoted Canadian offensive lineman Giovanni Manu to the starting lineup when they visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday as veteran left tackle Taylor Decker has been ruled out due to a shoulder injury.

Manu was a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of the University of British Columbia. He spent his entire rookie year on reserve but has dressed for all four of Detroit’s games to start 2025, played seven offensive snaps and 12 special teams snaps.

The six-foot-seven, 345-pound blocker was the first U Sports prospect to be drafted by an NFL team since University of Manitoba defensive tackle David Onyemata was taken by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

The native of Nukuʻalofa, Tonga, who moved to Pitt Meadows, B.C. at the age of eleven, had a prolific U Sports career, starting 38 games for the Thunderbirds. He earned second-team All-Canadian honours at guard in 2022 and at tackle in 2023.

Manu’s exclusive CFL rights belong to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who selected him in the fifth round of the 2024 CFL Draft.

The Detroit Lions (3-1) will visit the Cincinnati Bengals (2-2) on Sunday, October 5 with kickoff slated for 4:35 p.m. EDT.