Underrated Arizona State Players: Manny Wilkins

Jake Plummer. Rudy Carpenter. Taylor Kelly. Jayden Daniels.

Those are a small handful of names that are instantly thought of when Arizona State quarterbacks are the center of discussion

Manny Wilkins was a quality three-year starter within the last decade but seems to be forgotten in the grand scheme of Sun Devil history.

Whether it's due to a lack of victories, Wilkins being the figurehead of the beginning of the Herm Edwards era or anything in between - he doesn't get appreciated near enough.

A rundown of Wilkins' career and what he meant for the program each year.

2016

Wilkins served as something of a stabilizing factor in his debut season as the starting QB - he did throw for 351 yards in the historic 68-55 victory over Patrick Mahomes' Texas Tech and lead a frantic comeback victory over UTSA in non-conference play.

He also enjoyed a strong final showing of the year - tossing three scores against Arizona in what could have handed the Sun Devils bowl eligibility if the defense had held up.

2017

Wilkins started out the 2017 season on a roll - throwing eight touchdowns and no interceptions in his first four games.

Arizona State unfortunately went 2-2 during that stretch and faced an uphill climb to reach a bowl game.

An upset victory over Washington and two victories to end the regular season secured a bowl berth for Wilkins, but that was largely overshadowed by Todd Graham's dismissal and a three-interception performance against North Carolina State in the Sun Bowl.

Wilkins finished his junior season with 20 passing touchdowns and seven rushing scores - many of them being highlight reel plays.

2018

Wilkins managed to build his most successful and consistent season in Tempe as a senior.

Year one of the Edwards duo began with Wilkins playing one of his best games as a member of the program in a 16-13 victory over Michigan State.

Narrow losses to San Diego State and a top-10 ranked Washington is what eventually defined the final season of collegiate play for Wilkins.

A trio of one score losses compounded and Arizona State eventually had to settle for the Las Vegas Bowl - Wilkins played well enough in 2018 for the record to be pushing towards double digit win totals rather than the ultimate 7-6 mark.

Wilkins is an underrated figure in the history of Arizona State football - he provided stability at a time of historic instability within the program and athletic department.

Read more about other historic Arizona State moments here and the unconventional approach that Kenny Dillingham is taking on the recruiting trail here.

Please let us know your thoughts on Wilkins' career in Tempe when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.