2023 Conference USA Preseason Watch List
2023 Phil Steele Preseason All-CUSA Team (First)
2023 Athlon Preseason All-CUSA Team (First)
2022 All-Conference USA (Honorable Mention)

CAREER HIGHS
Tackles: 14 at Texas State (9/10/22)
TFLs: 2.5 at Texas State (9/10/22)
Sacks: 0.5 (2X) last vs. Louisiana Tech (10/28/22)
Fumble Recoveries: 1 vs. Bryant (9/1/22)

2022: Earned All-Conference USA Honorable Mention honors…saw action and started in all 12 games for the Panthers…ranked second on the squad with 97 tackles (48 solo)…registered 8.5 tackle for losses including a sack…added three pass breakups and a fumble recovery…posted five games of double-digit stops…rang up 14 tackles including 2.5 TFLs and 0.5 sack at Texas State (9/10)…notched 11 stops with 2 TFLs vs UConn (10/8)…registered 10 tackles and 1.5 TFL at Charlotte (10/22)…logged 10 tackles, 0.5 TFL, and a sack vs LA Tech (10/28)…notched six stops and a fumble recovery vs Bryant (9/1)…logged nine tackles and 0.5 TFL at UTEP (11/19)…added eight stops vs UTSA (10/14).

Prior to FIU: Played his first two collegiate seasons at East Tennessee State where he tabbed 124 tackles, including 67 solo stops and 9.5 tackles for loss (three sacks) en route to earning HERO Sports All-American Sophomore Team mention and a spot on the All-SoCon First Team squad as selected by the league's coaches… was named to the Phil Steele Fourth Team All-American Freshman squad.. appeared and started in all 12 games for ETSU as a redshirt-freshman and was named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team… posted 64 tackles along with 5.5 TFLs and a sack during his redshirt freshman season in 2019.

2021 (ETSU): Named to the HERO Sports Sophomore All-American Team and the All-American Third Team … Earned a spot on the Coaches and Media First Team All-SoCon … named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Month in November with 37 tackles in a three-game span … twice earning SoCon Defensive Player of the Week following the win over VMI (Nov. 6) and Western Carolina (Nov. 13) … appeared in all 13 games on the year with 12 starts … led the Bucs in tackles with 124, including 67 solo tackles … Finished the season with 9.5 tackles for loss, ranking second on the team, while also recording 3.0 sacks, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries … posted five games with double-digit tackles, including a career-high 16 tackles in the win over VMI (Nov. 6) … his two fumble recoveries and his lone forced fumble all came when he had double-digit tackling performances … combined 31 tackles in back-to-back weeks against VMI and Western Carolina … named to the Preseason All-SoCon Second Team.

2020 (ETSU): Named to the SoCon Honor Roll … named to the HERO Sports All-American Sophomore Team … Garnered a spot on the Coaches First Team All-SoCon … named SoCon Defensive Player of the Week on Feb. 22 after the season-opening win against Samford … appeared and started in five games this spring … opened the season with nine tackles (6 solo), 2.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, one forced fumble and the hauled in the game-winning interception as ETSU defeated the Bulldogs … capped off the year with 44 tackles (22 solo) to rank third on the team in total tackles … led the defense in tackles for loss (6.0) and sacks (3.5), both of which marked career highs despite the shortened season … also finished the year with two interceptions, one forced fumble and two quarterback hurries … recorded interceptions in back-to-back games to open the season (Samford & Furman) … tallied a season-high 11 tackles in the finale at Mercer … recorded at least six tackles in all five games and successfully registered at least 1.0 tackles for loss in four of his five games played.

2019 (ETSU): Named to the Phil Steele Fourth Team All-American Freshman squad…Appeared and started in all 12 games for ETSU as a redshirt-freshman … named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team … Made first collegiate start against Appalachian State … finished the season with 64 tackles, including 30 solo tackles … 64 tackles ranked third on the team … capped off the season with 5.5 tackles for loss, three passes defended and two quarterback hurries … pulled in first collegiate interception in ETSU’s 38-33 win over Mercer (Nov. 16) … recorded one sack on the season, pulling down the quarterback in the backfield against The Citadel (Nov. 2) … notched a career-high nine tackles against VMI (Sept. 14).

2018 (ETSU): Appeared in four games for the Bucs, making his collegiate debut against Furman (Sept. 22) … made first collegiate tackle against Furman, finishing the season with one tackle.

Prep: During prep career at Georgia's Stockbridge High School, Manuel was named Region 4-AAAAA Defensive Player of the Year and earned first team all-state by the Atlanta Journal Constitution and by Recruit Georgia… amassed 88 tackles, six tackles for loss, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 2017… lettered for Coach Kevin Whitely at Stockbridge.

Donovan Manuel