Patriots trade up to draft Michigan offensive lineman Michael Onwenu at No. 182 overall
By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
On the third day of the 2020 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots continued their trend of trading up to get their guy, as the Patriots moved up 13 spots from their first pick in the sixth round to draft Michigan offensive lineman Michael Onwenu.
A 6-foot-3, 350-pound talent, Onwenu’s jump to the NFL comes after 46 appearances for the Wolverines, including 35 starts at guard. The 22-year-old Onwenu earned some accolades through his run in Ann Arbor, too, with back-to-back Third Team All-Big Ten Third Team nods to close out his collegiate career. And Onwenu, who started the entire season at right guard as both a junior and senior, was also a media All-Big Ten Team honorable mention in both 2018 and 2019.
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“Powerful and wide, Onwenu’s natural play strength is somewhat offset by his below-average athletic ability,” NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft analysis. “With better hand placement and attention to footwork, he can take a step forward as a drive blocker with the ability to move bodies around, but he’ll be a scheme-specific prospect who could struggle against quick, upfield players and sub-package rushers. He has backup guard ability and potential as a Day 3 pick.”
If the Onwenu name sounds familiar, it’s because he met with the Patriots in the weeks leading up to this year’s draft.
To successfully grab Onwenu, the Patriots sent the No. 212 and No. 213 picks to the Indianapolis Colts.
