After committing to Miami in November, Ocala (Fla.) Vanguard five-star wide receiver Leonard Manuel backed off that verbal pledge last month.

“I sat down and talked to my family, and it was a decision we all decided on,” Manuel told The Clemson Insider in regard to the de-commitment. “I think it was best for me to do that and kind of just weigh out my options.”

Clemson could eventually become one of those college options for Manuel, a sophomore who is ranked as the No. 2 receiver in the class of 2020.

The Tigers don’t throw out a lot of scholarship offers to underclassmen and haven’t yet offered Manuel, but they are showing interest. Clemson assistant Todd Bates, Manuel’s area recruiter, made a spring-evaluation period visit to his school last week.

Manuel (6-4, 200) said he has communicated with Bates as well as Clemson receivers coach Jeff Scott.

“Basically they were just telling me that I’m a great player and I’m one-of-a-kind,” he said. “They were just telling me to keep my school work right.”

The interest is mutual. Manuel has visited Clemson a couple of times in the past and come away impressed. Shortly following the Miami de-commitment, he included Clemson in a list of his top 11 schools on Twitter.

“They’re a big program and I’m interested in them a lot,” he said. “I’ve been down there twice, and I like their facilities and just the culture.”

Manuel said he hopes to visit Clemson again this summer and spend time with the coaching staff, especially head coach Dabo Swinney.

“I’ve talked to them on the phone, but I haven’t gotten to talk to them face-to-face,” he said. “Coach Dabo, I haven’t gotten to meet him face-up, so next time I get down there that’s what I want to do, just talk to him and see how he wants to play me and use me.”

While most schools are recruiting him as a receiver, he said the Tigers have mentioned the possibility of him playing in the secondary.

“I know they said they wanted me to play safety and receiver, so I just want to really know actually,” Manuel said.

Added Manuel when asked if he is open to playing on defense: “Oh yeah. No doubt. I have a couple of them (offers) for safety.”

Along with Clemson, Manuel named Georgia, Florida, LSU, Texas, Tennessee, Florida State, Penn State, Nebraska, Ohio State and Miami in his top group on April 17.

Manuel recently visited Florida, Florida State, Georgia and Southern Cal, and cited Ohio State and Oregon as other schools he wants to visit this summer. With more than 30 total offers, he is taking his recruitment slow right now and doesn’t know when he will commit again, but knows what he is looking for in a school.

“I’d say just being able to come back [to a school] even after I do make it [to the next level],” he said. “Like being able to come back and just having everybody showing me love and I can go talk to the players. I just don’t want to go to any school that just plays and then goes to the league and that’s it. I don’t want that.”

The Miami de-commitment marked Manuel’s second of the process as he was also previously committed to Tennessee at one time.

He is the No. 1 prospect from the Sunshine State, No. 2 wide receiver and No. 14 overall prospect in the 2020 class per 247Sports.