Florida football: Gators hosting SEC transfer OL for official visit
By Will Thomas
Florida football already has an impressive visitors list out of the transfer portal on campus this week, and has added another big body to that.
In addition to a slew of defensive backs, the Gators will welcome Arkansas offensive lineman Devon Manuel for an official visit today.
Manuel appeared in nine games for the Razorbacks this season and started the final three as a sophomore for Sam Pittman and the Hogs.
Billy Napier is looking to add another body to the Gators' offensive line and build up some more depth in the trenches heading into the 2024 season.
Florida football: Never too much size
Manuel is a guy that when he walks off the bus, you think about faking an injury in pregame warmups so you don't have to try and get past him.
Devon stands at 6'9''-310 and has the power to bully anybody that he faces off against. He's just about impossible to move back into the pocket and is a brick wall that pass rushers have to try and get through.
According to PFF, last season Manuel had an overall grade of 68.4, a pass grade of 89.4, a pass block grade of 63.5, and a run block grade of 65.6.
Manuel was rated as a three-star player in the 2021 class and was rated as the 99th-best OL in the '21 cycle.
While Devon isn't necessarily a superstar in the portal, a guy his size with experience in the SEC isn't somebody that the Gators are in a spot to turn down.
Adding Manuel would boost up the depth that Florida has along the OL, and give them another experienced guy they can rotate in.