Durability is a huge plus for any NFL draft prospect, and Michigan offensive lineman Michael Onwenu has been one of the nation’s best in that department.
One of the most reliable blockers in this year’s draft, Onwenu recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his impressive career with the Wolverines, his experience at the NFL Scouting Combine, and what kind of player he’ll be at the next level.
JM: You’re an experienced, durable player. You made a lot of starts, and played a key role in your offense. How do you look back on your time spent at Michigan?
MO: It was a good time. I was fortunate enough to get on the field a lot earlier than most guys. I started playing as a freshmen. I actually played on both offense and defense as a freshmen. I’m very proud of that. I was fortunate enough to stay healthy throughout my time at Michigan. I played a lot of games but I was able to maintain a perfect bill of health. That’s a great thing as I look back on my time at Michigan.
JM: Michigan isn’t just where you played college football, it’s the place you call home. What did it mean to you to play college football so close to home?
MO: It was such an easy decision for me. I always knew that I wanted to play college football at Michigan. I already knew that when I was in grade nine or 10 of high school. I never went back and forth on my wishes. It was always Michigan. It was a great feeling. A lot of friends and family had an opportunity to come watch me play. I was far enough from home, but I always had a lot of visitors. I was close enough to home for people to come see me. It was a great feeling.
JM: What can you tell me about the scheme Michigan ran on offense and what your coaches asked of you?
MO: We switched from a pro-style offense to more of a spread offense. It was a good experience for me because it gave me a chance to play in two completely different styles of offense. It gave me the experience to adapt to a whole new style of offense. That’s something that’s really gonna pay off down the road for me. I can fit into any offense at the next level.
JM: What’s your favorite part about playing on the offensive line?
MO: I love the contact that comes with it. You have physical contact on every play. You look at the other positions like wide receiver for example, you’re not really hitting anybody. As an offensive linemen, I get to be physical. I’m in somebody’s face at all times. That’s how I like to play.
JM: What was your experience like at the NFL Scouting Combine?
MO: It was a great experience. It was so cool to see so many people that I was at Nike or Adidas camps with four years ago. It’s crazy that we’ve all progressed in that fashion. I’m so happy for every single one of those guys. Time flies and I’m happy that we’ve all reached this point. We all worked so hard for this. It’s so great to see everybody succeeding and prospering.
JM: What do you think is the overall impression you left out there at the combine?
MO: I feel like I left a good impression out there. I’m happy with how all of my interviews went. I tried to be vocal in all of my interviews. I was happy to meet with any and every team that had interest in speaking with me. I tried to answer every question honestly. I always try to go about things the right way. I feel like it went well for me.
JM: Were you asked any strange questions at the combine?
MO: I didn’t get asked anything strange. I didn’t have a single strange question, to be honest with you. Everybody was very happy with my medicals. They know that I’m a competitor, and they were impressed with my durability. One team jokingly asked me if I even played college football (laughs). I guess most guys have a lot of nicks and bruises.
JM: Were you able to get any private visits or workouts in before the spread of COVID-19 pulled everybody off the road?
MO: I did have a chance to make two private visits. I met with the Patriots and the Dolphins. I didn’t make any private workouts, but I did make those two visits before everything shut down.
JM: At least you were able to get some private visits in. That’s two more than most guys were able to make.
MO: It was crazy. Everything got shut down the day before our pro day. We were all on the fence. Everybody was hoping that the pro day was gonna go forward, but nobody really knew anything. Everything got shut down literally the day before our pro day.
JM: I imagine you’ve been meeting with teams via FaceTime and such. Who are some of the teams that you’ve met with virtually?
MO: I’ve had quite a few FaceTime meetings. I met with the Lions, Eagles, Jaguars, 49ers and Giants so far.
JM: As somebody that plays in the trenches, how do you handle speed differently from power?
MO: You have to be all up on those speed guys. With power, they tend to be bigger, slower guys. At least that’s usually how it is in the trenches. With those speed guys, you have to catch them right before they try to execute their speed move.
JM: Who were some of the best rushers you went up against?
MO: Being an interior guy, I didn’t go up against many athletic rushers. I can’t single out anybody specifically. I pay more attention to overall units than individual players. Ohio State and Penn State always had some great defensive linemen.
JM: If you were going into battle tomorrow and could only bring one teammate with you, who would you bring and why?
MO: I would probably say Cesar Ruiz. We played a lot of football next to one another. He’s such a vocal leader. We’ve both been durable throughout our careers. When I was playing defensive tackle, we actually went up against each other a little bit. Whether we’re going to war or playing a football game together, I would bring Cesar Ruiz with me.
JM: When a team uses one of their draft picks on Michael Onwenu, what kind of guy are they getting?
MO: They’re getting a good guy, first and foremost. I just put my head down, go to work and do exactly what I need to do. Anybody that knows me knows that I’m a quiet guy. I don’t really say much. I’m not a confrontational person. I never object to anything that my coaches say. I just go with the flow and go about my business.
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