USC football issued a new transfer offer on Sunday to massive Arkansas offensive tackle Devon Manuel. In addition to USC, Manuel has posted offer from Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Kentucky and Oklahoma State.
The 6-foot-8, 320-pound Manuel is light on overall experience, but would give USC some serious size and depth at tackle for 2024. The redshirt sophomore Manuel went into the 2023 season as a projected starter at left tackle for the Razorbacks, but a camp injury slowed what was supposed to be his breakout season. Despite the injuries, Manuel managed to play in nine games, starting the final three games. He graded out at 68.4 on 417 total offensive snaps via Pro Football Focus.
Manuel arrived at Arkansas pushing close to 400 pounds as a true freshman. He redshirted in 2021 with zero snaps but got his weight down to 334 pounds. He saw action in one game in 2022, playing nine snaps at left tackle.
Offensive line, and especially offensive tackle, remains a priority for the Trojans in the portal. USC will lose starters Jarrett Kingston and Justin Dedich to graduation while Michael Tarquin, the left tackle starter early in the year, entered the NCAA Transfer Portal over the weekend. USC has four high school offensive linemen committed in the 2024 cycle, but none are guaranteed Day 1 impact players.