Hometown: Laie, HI
High School: Kahuku HS
There are 83 days left until the Utah Football season kicks off, and that brings us to a double dose of articles and here we discuss no. 83 Mana Carvalho. Mana is another legacy Ute; his father was a running back for Utah for the 1998 and ‘99 seasons, and other Carvalho family members are Utah alumni. The true freshman played both sides at Kahuku HS in Hawaii and was named a 2025 Polynesian Bowl All-Star.
UteNation Take
Although he played both ways in high school, Carvalho is going to begin his Utah career as a receiver, and he also will probably be involved in the return game. Although a little bit on the smaller side, Mana is a threat to score from anywhere: he scored a touchdown via rushing, receiving, kick return, punt return, and interception return in high school. The 2024 Hawaii High School Football Special Teams Player of the Year also lettered in basketball, track, and volleyball.
Despite being a freshman, the wide receiver room has long been looking for a player to step up and become the go-to guy. While he may not have the size of a typical X or Z receiver, Utah’s offenses have seen success with smaller receivers like Britain Covey when he played primarily out of the slot. If he does not crack the depth chart as a regular receiver, Carvalho should see playing time as a returner.
Remembering Carvalho’s Recruitment
The 3-star safety from Hawaii held 17 offers coming out of high school in the 2025 class, including Utah, Arizona, Army, Boise State, California, Hawaii, and Washington State, and he held some Ivy League interest as well. Ultimately, it essentially came down to Utah and Boise State, where the Utes’ family atmosphere and number of Polynesian players won out.