Danieal Manning
| Chicago Bears | |||||||||||||
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| Career information | |||||||||||||
| College: | Abilene Christian | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2006 / round: 2 / pick: 42 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2007 | |||||||||||||
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Danieal Manning (born August 9, 1982 in Corsicana, Texas) is a professional American football free safety for the Chicago Bears. He was drafted with the 42nd pick in the 2006 NFL Draft from Abilene Christian University, which made him the first player from a non-Division I school to be selected that year (as well as the 2nd highest pick in the history of the school's football program). Before college, he was a highly touted defensive back at Corsicana High School. Manning transferred from the University of Nebraska to ACU.[1]
Midway through the 2008 NFL season, Manning took over Hester's duties as the team's kick returner. On December 11, 2008, he returned a kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown, making it the first regular season opening kickoff returned for a touchdown for the Bears since 1972.[2] A week before this touchdown, Manning picked off David Garrard's pass on the Jaguars opening drive, and returned it to the Jaguars five-yard line.[3]
Finished the 2008 season rank 1 in return average, and led the NFL in 30 yard + returns, despite only starting half the season.