It seemed inevitable that Arizona football would eventually lose a key defensive player to the NCAA transfer portal. Linebacker Jacob Manu has now become the most prominent name to declare his intention to enter the portal from the 2024 Wildcats team, which finished with a 4-8 record. Hayes Fawcett of On3 was the first to break the news.
Manu missed the last five games of Arizona’s season due to a non-contact knee injury sustained during the Wildcats’ loss to Colorado. As a junior, he recorded 19 tackles and one fumble recovery.
Standing at 5-foot-11, Manu is considered undersized for his position, and it remains uncertain when he will be healthy enough to resume football activities. While signing him carries some risk, his proven productivity when healthy is undeniable.
A standout on Arizona’s 2023 defense, Manu earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors and led the conference with 116 tackles. He also served as a two-year team captain and was instrumental in keeping the Wildcats’ roster intact last offseason after head coach Jedd Fisch left for Washington.
Although Manu’s decision to leave isn’t entirely unexpected, it would still be a significant loss for Arizona coach and his staff as they work to retain key players from this year’s team. However, Manu could still choose to return to Arizona.
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