The Optimist
  • Home
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Features
  • Print Edition
    • The Pessimist
    • Special Projects
  • Police Log
  • Classifieds
You are here: Home / Sports / Ex-Factor / Combine invite gives Manning opportunity to impress scouts

Combine invite gives Manning opportunity to impress scouts

February 10, 2006 by Jared Fields

By Jared Fields, Sports Editor

If NFL scouts didn’t know who Danieal Manning was after the East-West Shrine Game last month, they’ll have another chance to see what he can do later this month at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. The combine gives NFL personnel the chance to evaluate player’s athletic ability and character.

“That’s the biggest thing besides the draft,” Manning said about the combine. “If they missed me at the East West game, then the combine is nationwide, and more people can see me.”

Manning said while the game helped him gain recognition from scouts, the practice during the week was most important. Scouts do not have official 40-yard dash times or other physical test results for Manning, so a good performance at the combine could improve his NFL stock even more.

“They told me I did well in practice,” Manning said. “They don’t know where they want to put me; I just want to be able to play any position.”

At ACU, Manning played free safety, but in the Shrine Game he played cornerback, where he stayed for most of the game.

A defensive back and kick return specialist while at ACU, Manning has opted to skip his senior year of college and enter the NFL draft.

Performing against top players from the Division I level in the Shrine Game sparked interest among NFL scouts.

Manning has hired Russell Hicks, director of operations for the Houston-based Coast 2 Coast Sports Management agency, as his agent.

“A lot of scouts projected him as a 4th round pick before the Shrine game but maybe bumped him to a 3rd round pick after the game,” Hicks said.

Manning knew Hicks before declaring for the draft in January. Hicks said he helps his clients in more ways than just dealing with football.

“I wanted to talk about life on and off the field,” Hicks said. “I don’t concentrate on football but on life issues.”

Those include everything from setting up life insurance policies and taking care of money, to getting an education.

“He takes my mind off of the headache of meeting with everybody and things after football, like getting a degree,” Manning said. “I hope to have that before I finish playing.”

Since declaring for the draft, Manning has been busy with issues inside and outside of football. Three days a week Manning works out with a trainer and runs and works with a defensive back coach at least two days a week.

On Saturday, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. interviewed Manning. Kiper, along with many other draft analyst, have projected Manning to be drafted on the first day of the draft.

“He said I could go anywhere from a high 2nd round to 3rd round pick,” Manning said. “He doesn’t expect me to go on the second day, but if I do he’d be surprised.”

Filed Under: Ex-Factor Tagged With: Danieal Manning, Football

Other Sports:

  • Out with the WAC, in with the UAC

  • Women’s golf drives for success despite young mid-major status

  • More than money: FBS games bring in revenue, impact program

About Jared Fields

You are here: Home / Sports / Ex-Factor / Combine invite gives Manning opportunity to impress scouts

Other Sports:

  • Out with the WAC, in with the UAC

  • Women’s golf drives for success despite young mid-major status

  • More than money: FBS games bring in revenue, impact program

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

Retweet on Twitter The Optimist Retweeted
optimistsports Optimist Sports @optimistsports ·
26 Jun

The United Athletic Conference is officially taking the place of the Western Athletic Conference in the 2026-2027 athletic year. The UAC is a joint football effort between the WAC and the ASUN but will now extend to all sports. #acuoptimist #acuathletics #wac #uac

Reply on Twitter 1938240320854008109 Retweet on Twitter 1938240320854008109 2 Like on Twitter 1938240320854008109 7 Twitter 1938240320854008109
Retweet on Twitter The Optimist Retweeted
ashleyh1607 Ashley Henderson @ashleyh1607 ·
3 Jun

My second year at ACU was full of opportunities that grew me as an individual and a journalist.

In my first year as editor in chief of @acuoptimist, we published six print issues, filmed a 3-hour live election show, and revamped our newscast, all while producing news weekly.

Reply on Twitter 1929734328445178254 Retweet on Twitter 1929734328445178254 1 Like on Twitter 1929734328445178254 1 Twitter 1929734328445178254

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

1 years ago

The Optimist

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

2 years ago

The Optimist
"Ending my college education early was always the plan for me, but the things that I have been able to see, experience and examine about ACU’s community were not. I have found immense growth in ACU over the past three and a half years, but ACU still has a long road to climb if it wants to keep catering to students as the world changes around them." To read more of this article visit acuoptimist.com or click the link in our bio. #acu #abilenechristianuniversity #privatechristianuniversity #collegestudentopinion #acuopinion ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 28, 2024

Our top stories today include a recap of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, the ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 21, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 14, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 24, 2024

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Policies
    • Advertising Policy
    • Letters to the Editor and Reader Comments
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Features
  • Advertise
    • Paid Advertisement
  • Police Log

© 2025 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved