Lions made OT Giovanni Manu of Tonga the 1st NFL draft pick from University of British Columbia


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ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Detroit Lions offensive tackle Giovanni Manu woke up at 4 a.m. Friday and couldn't fall back asleep. On the rookie's ride to work, he was in tears. Manu's excitement and emotions were triggered by a long and lonely path, leaving his parents on the south Pacific island of Tonga at age 11 to live with his aunt and siblings in Vancouver in the hopes of a better life. A growth spurt in high school, along with support on and off the field, led to Manu becoming a 6-foot-7, 354-pound prospect that Detroit drafted in the fourth round.

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Larry Lage

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