BRADENTON, Florida — Leonard Manuel is one of the best players in the nation, regardless of year. The class of 2020 receiver from Ocala (Florida) Vanguard is rated as the No. 1 receiver in his year.
This time, 2020’s No. 1 WR recruit Leonard Manuel is taking it slow
Elite programs will have to wait 19 months to land a commit from Manuel.
Manuel is 6’4, 205 pounds, with the frame to fill out. If he doesn’t grow much more, he’ll be a beast of a receiver. If he fills out a lot, he’ll be a matchup nightmare at tight end.
And he’s a smart player. Manuel plays both ways for his 352 Stars 7v7 club team, at safety and receiver. He makes many of the calls on defense and on offense, calls out what the opposing defense is doing.
Manuel is a player many colleges would like to have in their program right now, if he could somehow skip his junior and senior years of high school. He is that advanced physically.
Every program to have won a national title in Manuel’s lifetime (Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Ohio State, Texas, and USC) has offered him, plus about 20 more.
Manuel committed to Tennessee in July 2017 ... for about 48 hours. He then committed to Miami in November 2017 as a sophomore, but backed off his pledge in April 2018.
SB Nation caught up with Manuel at the NFA 7v7 National Championships.
Manuel said he sat down, spoke with his parents, and thought it was too early for a commit.
Now, he says he won’t commit until February 2020, the traditional National Signing Day, as opposed to the increasingly popular early date.
“I’m going to really slow it down, yes sir,” he said.
But he still likes the Hurricanes.
“Oh, yeah, they are still one of my top priorities,” he said. “That’s my hometown, I am from down south. [Miami WR coach Ron] Dugans is like a father figure to me. We talk a lot. I talk to him more than any college coach.”
Manuel said that out-of-state, Clemson, Georgia, Penn State, Texas A&M, and Nebraska are also making him a priority.
Manuel would like to see those schools, but does not have dates set up.
The only school Manuel has visited since the school year ended is Florida. He is working on building a greater bond with the Gators.
“It was pretty good and those guys always show love and Florida is a good place to be and a good environment and just a good environment all the way around. They don’t really even talk about football, it’s more about taking care of things school-wise and just maintaining and waking up and maintaining,” he told Swamp247.
Other summer visits are being lined up for Florida State, Oregon, and Georgia.
Manuel does not have a set date yet for the return trip to FSU, or the visit to Oregon.
But he knows he’ll visit UGA on June 22. Manuel said Georgia wants to see him go against some corners who they are looking at in a 1v1 setting.
All rankings via the 247Sports Composite unless otherwise noted.
