Pats Pulpit
The New England Patriots’ roster has undergone a massive transformation process over the last couple of years, and especially after Mike Vrabel was hired as head coach in January 2025. Vrabel and company decided to rebuild the team from the ground up, a process that also resulted in multiple long-time veterans heading out the door.
Amidst all the turnover, one man continued standing firm and now enters 2026 as the Patriots’ longest-tenured player: starting right guard Mike Onwenu, the team’s most reliable offensive lineman.
Name: Mike Onwenu
Position: Guard
Jersey number: 71
Opening day age: 28 (12/10/1997)
Measurements: 6’2 5/8”, 350 lbs, 10 1/2” hand size, 34 3/8” arm length, 82” wingspan, 26 bench press reps, N/A Relative Athletic Score
NFL: New England Patriots (2020-) | College: Michigan (2016-19)
A four-star guard recruit out of Cass Technical in Detroit, Onwenu was courted by multiple high-profile colleges. But while programs such as Ohio State, Alabama and Miami all extended offers, he decided to remain loyal to his home state and committed to the University of Michigan ahead of his senior year in high school. He stayed true to his commitment and ended up spending his entire four-year college career with the Wolverines.
Onwenu appeared in 46 games at Michigan, including 35 as a starter at right guard. A two-time third-team All-Big Ten selection, he heard his name called 182nd overall in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He joined the Patriots less than two months after another former sixth-round draft pick from Michigan had left, which in turn meant his career has seen plenty of individual highs paired with collective lows: in his first five seasons as a pro, he made the playoffs just twice and did not enjoy a postseason victory until Year 5.
Regardless of team success, Onwenu has proved himself an ultra-dependable player for New England. He enters 2026 with 103 combined regular season and playoff games on his résumé, including 94 as a starter. Primarily a right guard, he also started games at left guard and right tackle during his career.
Strengths: Even though he is not the tallest offensive lineman at just under 6-foot-3, Onwenu offers tremendous size from a weight and length perspective. He takes full advantage of his physique in the confined spaces along the interior and combines it with a skillset built around physicality, competitive toughness and power: he plays with a firm, broad base as well as a strong upper body and violent finish. He uses his big hands well and has the grip strength to drive defenders off the ball or keep them engaged in pass protection.
Speaking of pass blocking, Onwenu plays with a stout anchor and some surprising initial quickness for a player his size and overall athletic profile. In the run game, meanwhile, his burst combined with his strength, leg drive and natural feel for using leverage allows him to displace defensive linemen quickly and effectively (which in...
