Florida football offensive lineman Devon Manuel was arrested on July 18 on charges of misdemeanor DUI and felony weapons charges.
According to a Gainesville Police arrest report Manuel was pulled over for going 60 miles per hour in a 45-mph zone on Southwest 34th Street. Officers detected a strong odor of marijuana in his car and had Manuel take a field sobriety test, which he failed.
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Police then found a black Glock 20 in the front of Manuel’s vehicle, loaded but not chambered, and a black vape that had the words “THC” on it in white lettering sitting on the front passenger floorboard.
The 22-year-old Manuel was booked into the Alachua County Jail and later released on bond. The second-degree felony charge for possession of a concealed weapon that Manuel is facing is punishable up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $10,000.
A transfer from Arkansas, the 6-foot-7, 307-pound Manuel appeared in three games at tackle for the Florida Gators in 2024, posting an 82.9 pass block grade and a 70.2 offense grade per Pro Football Focus (PFF). He’s expected to provide depth on the offensive line again this season behind starting tackles Austin Barber and Bryce Lovett.
Manuel is the third Florida football player arrested this offseason, a list that includes sophomore cornerback Dijon Johnson and freshman defensive lineman Stephon Shivers. Johnson was arrested on weapons and drug charges following a traffic stop in Tampa last May. Shivers was dismissed from UF after he was arrested on felony dating violence charges following a physical altercation with a female.
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Florida released a statement that it is aware of Manuel’s arrest and plan to gather all the facts and monitor the situation.
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida football OL Devon Manuel arrested on DUI, weapons charges
