According to Justin Melo of The Draft Network, the San Francisco 49ers were among the teams to hold a virtual meeting with Kentucky guard Tashawn Manning.
NFL.com projects Manning to be a sixth- or seventh-round draft pick. The Niners own five combined selections in those rounds.
.@UKFootball OG Tashawn Manning is a physical and versatile OL. Natural OG, but 34.5" arms, played OT/C at @NFLPABowl.
Recent Zooms include #Raiders, #Cardinals, #Jets, #Giants, #Bengals, #Ravens, #49ers, #Browns & #Saints.@tashawn544 x @TheDraftNetworkhttps://t.co/PNBz1kAHZK
— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) April 27, 2023
"Kentucky offensive guard Tashawn Manning is a powerful and physical offensive line prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft," wrote Melo. "Manning strung together several years of excellent tape between stints at Auburn and Kentucky. Manning has starting-quality traits."
Manning is from Apopka, FL. He earned a pre-draft grade of 5.93 from NFL.com, which equates to an "average backup or special-teams player," per the site's 8-point grading scale.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, the 6' 3 1/8" and 327-pound Manning had a 40-time of 5.34 seconds, a vertical jump of 27.5 inches, a broad jump of 102 inches, a 7.9-second three-cone drill time, and a 20-yard shuttle time of 4.8 seconds. His other measurables include an arm length of 34 1/2 inches and hands measuring 9 3/4 inches.
"Going from Auburn to Kentucky was a tough decision," Manning told Melo of the decision to transfer from Auburn. "Auburn was my first love. At the end of the day, I needed a new opportunity to showcase my best skills on the football field. Once I got to Kentucky, I knew I made the right decision.
"I honestly feel like Kentucky made my career. It gave me an opportunity to prove I belong at the next level. It was a pivotal point in my career. I'm glad I made that decision."
At his school Pro Day, Manning had a 40-time of 5.44 seconds, a vertical jump of 25.90 inches, and a 20-yard shuttle time of 4.91 seconds, per NFLDraftBuzz.
"Manning's athletic limitations will be frowned upon by some teams, but he's huge, long and powerful," Lance Zierlein wrote within the player's NFL.com scouting report. "Even without the knee bend and lateral quickness, he can still do enough for consideration as a backup guard. He will need to play in a downhill scheme full of gap plays and inside zone. His reps could be hit or miss, but his power is obvious when he connects and runs his feet. He lacks range but can swallow bull rushers without much concern. Manning might be a late-round or undrafted consideration, but players with his traits tend to find their way onto rosters."
While playing guard is his passion, Manning has played everywhere along the offensive line. He plays with an attitude that fits well with the 49ers' mentality.
"I just love the physical aspect of run blocking," the offensive lineman told Melo. "I love being mean and physical. I love putting defenders on the ground, especially ones that don't think they can be put on the ground.
"I move guys that think they can't be moved. I enjoy the challenge. I enjoy getting after it every single day."
