WR Zimari Manning (6’2″, 200, Tarleton State University) will join the Rattlers for his rookie season in the IFL. In each of his two seasons playing for Tarleton State, Manning led the Texans in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Despite playing at Tarleton State for only two years, Manning holds the school’s all-time record for career touchdown receptions (34) and he is the only player in program history to average 100+ receiving yards per game over his career.
During his senior year in 2019, Manning set Tarleton State’s single season records for receiving touchdowns (22), receiving yards (1,462), receiving yards per game (121.8) and 100+ yard receiving games (12). Manning’s 22 receiving touchdowns were seven more than any other player had in a single season in school history, and his 1,462 receiving yards were 322 more than the next highest player. On September 28, 2019, Manning also broke the school’s single game receiving yardage record with 257 yards against UT Permian Basin.
For his senior year efforts, Manning was named as a finalist for the 2019 Harlon Hill Trophy, which is awarded to the Division-II Football Player of the Year. He was also named the Lone Star Conference’s 2019 Receiver of the Year. Prior to attending Tarleton State, the Long Beach, California native began his college career at Golden West College in Huntington Beach, where he made 51 catches for 1,110 yards and 23 touchdowns across his two-year career. Coming out of college, Manning was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Denver Broncos during the 2020 NFL offseason. In signing with the Rattlers, Manning will reunite with his college quarterback from Tarleton State, Ben Holmes, who also signed with Arizona this offseason.
Press Release courtesy of the Arizona Rattlers – Steve Cusumano
