New England Patriots Found A Different Kind Of Multipurpose Threat In Rookie Mike Onwenu

When asked in April where the New England Patriots viewed him best, Mike Onwenu provided a foreshadowing answer.

“During the pre-draft process, there wasn’t really any talk of specifics,” the 6-foot-3, 350-pound offensive lineman said on his introductory call as a Patriot. “But you know, I would style myself in terms of playing any position that’s needed, whether that’s tackle, guard or center.”

The Michigan product and East-West Shrine Bowler has done all but snap the football through nine starts in New England.

Onwenu took on his initial downs as an eligible tight end. He then went from left guard to right guard as attrition led to new combinations. And he has since made himself a home at right tackle as $2.133 million restricted signing Jermaine Eluemunor works back from a stint on injured reserve.

Within reason, pick No. 182 overall in the 2020 NFL draft has been available at any position that’s needed.

“Yeah, Mike’s a hardworking kid,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick told reporters during a November video conference. “He takes coaching well. Whatever you ask him to do, he tries very hard to do it and is a real smart kid that can correct mistakes and pick things up the second time around.

“It might be something he hasn’t seen that he doesn’t maybe react to as quickly to the first time, but after he’s seen it and after he’s had a chance to gain some experience – which he’s gained a lot of experience both playing guard and tackle – his awareness and physicality, technique. Just he’s a good football player and he’s shown the versatility to play two different spots, guard and tackle – which in this league, as a rookie, different sides of the line, it’s really been impressive.”

There were 35 offensive linemen selected before Onwenu. According to Pro Football Reference, the list of those who have gone on to make as many starts as the Wolverine this season stands at seven.

And of whom, only former Georgia Bulldog and current Miami Dolphin Solomon Kindley also heard his name called on the final day of the draft.

The Patriots found a different kind of multipurpose threat that afternoon. Even though Onwenu, who played both sides of the ball as a freshman in Ann Arbor, finished with 34 career starts as a mauling right guard.

“Mike’s not only a good player in terms of having position flexibility and the intelligence to handle different positions and different assignments and be on a different side of the ball,” added Belichick, “but his fundamentals and techniques are very good.”

A spot on the Pro Football Focus Midseason All-Pro roster now belongs to the 22-year-old Onwenu.

His offensive grade of 89.4 ranks tops among rookie offensive linemen around the league. It ranks sixth among all blockers, as well, behind Trent Williams of the San Francisco 49ers, Garett Bolles of the Denver Broncos, Corey Linsley of the Green Bay Packers, Zack Martin of the Dallas Cowboys and Wyatt Teller of the Cleveland Browns.

There have been a handful of quarterback hurries and a pair of sacks conceded by Onwenu this fall. The latest came in New England’s 23-17 win last Sunday night as veteran Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Matthew Judon beat him with a speed rush.

But there have been powerful runs with his fingerprints on them. Onwenu has pulled into the second level, walled off the edges and gotten downhill in the open field for an offense that is averaging 161 yards on the ground per game and 4.8 per play.

Only franchise-tagged left guard Joe Thuney and 2018 first-round left tackle Isaiah Wynn have seen more snaps for the New England line this campaign.

Time will tell where Onwenu, carrying a four-year contract bordering on $3.5 million, plays his next.

In that, he styled himself right.