Patriots: Michael Onwenu proving to be most valuable 2020 draft pick?

The Patriots may have struck gold with Michigan’s Michael Onwenu.

Of all the problems for a team to experience, injuries to the offensive line are arguably the worst. If those guys aren’t preventing pressure up front and winning battles in the trenches, the quarterback can’t throw and the running back can’t run. It’s that simple.

So when the New England Patriots lost backup center Ted Karras to free agency, right tackle Marcus Cannon to an opt out, and David Andrews to thumb surgery last week, you couldn’t help but think how the team could possibly make it through 2020 unscathed with that much turnover along the O-line.

Leave that to Bill Belichick. He moved star guard Joe Thuney to center and is now using rookie Michael Onwenu at guard. And the Patriots had their best rushing performance of the season against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The machine in New England constantly churns out producers, but Onwenu’s hot start has created another discussion entirely. Was the former Michigan Wolverine the Patriots’ best selection (No. 182 overall in the sixth round) in the 2020 NFL Draft?

We’re aware this could very well be a knee-jerk reaction, but there’s a legitimate case to be made. Belichick’s first pick in the draft, safety Kyle Dugger, has seen part-time action on defense and is used as a return man. Josh Uche, another second-rounder and Wolverine, has yet to be active. Third-round picks Anfernee Jennings, Dalton Keene and Devin Asiasi have barely seen the field. Fifth-round Justin Rohrwasser was cut and signed to the practice squad. Sixth-rounders Justin Herron and Cassh Maluia have mostly done nothing. And seventh-round pick Dustin Woodard retired.

So, the answer has to be Onwenu at the moment, right?

https://twitter.com/PFF_Patriots/status/1310646438536282117?s=20

Onwenu played 100% of the snaps on Sunday due to the issues along the Patriots’ O-line after getting limited action to the tune of 40% of the snaps in Week 2 and 34% of the snaps in Week 1. And in his first NFL start he was the highest-graded among the league’s guards, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s significant, especially when you consider he started Sunday’s game at left guard and he played a majority of his collegiate career on the right side.

Patriots fans, you could have a franchise-caliber offensive lineman in the making at the moment. Watch out for the big man in Week 4.

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