David Onyemata
{{Short description|Nigerian-Canadian American football player (born 1992)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = David Onyemata
| image = Atlanta Falcons David Onyemata MAR2023.png
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Onyemata in 2023
| current_team = Atlanta Falcons
| number = 90
| position = Nose tackle
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|11|13|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Lagos, Nigeria
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lbs = 300
| high_school = Chrisland Schools
(Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria)
| cis = Manitoba (2012–2015)
| cfldraftyear = 2016
| cfldraftround = 4
| cfldraftpick = 35
| draftyear = 2016
| draftround = 4
| draftpick = 120
| pastteams =
- New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|2016}}–{{NFL Year|2022}})
- Atlanta Falcons ({{NFL Year|2023}}–present)
| status = Active
| statweek =
| statseason = 2024
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 339
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 = 30.0
| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue3 = 3
| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue4 = 2
| statlabel5 = Interceptions
| statvalue5 = 1
| pfr = OnyeDa00
}}
David Onyemata (born November 13, 1992) is a Nigerian professional American football nose tackle for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Manitoba Bisons.
Early life
Onyemata is a native of Lagos, Nigeria, where he attended the Chrisland Schools but he graduated from Rainbow College. He immigrated, on his own, to Winnipeg in 2011 to attend college the University of Manitoba.
University career
Onyemata had never seen a gridiron football game until he came to Winnipeg, but he became a standout player for the Manitoba Bisons. He won the 2015 J. P. Metras Trophy as the top down lineman in CIS football,Kirk Penton, [http://www.winnipegsun.com/2015/11/26/manitoba-bisons-david-onyemata-wins-jp-metras-trophy-as-top-down-lineman-in-cis "Manitoba Bisons David Onyemata wins J.P. Metras trophy as top down lineman in CIS"], Winnipeg Sun, November 26, 2015. was invited to play in the East–West Shrine Game, and became the top Canadian prospect in the 2016 draft.[http://www.torontosun.com/2016/04/26/david-onyemata-only-canadian-with-good-shot-at-nfl-draft "David Onyemata only Canadian with good shot at NFL draft"], Toronto Sun, April 26, 2016.
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 3 1/4
| weight = 300
| dash = 5.06
| ten split = 1.66
| twenty split = 2.89
| shuttle = 4.65
| cone drill = 7.25
| vertical = 33.0
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 11
| bench = 33
| arm span = 33 1/4
| hand span = 10 3/8
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1016296&DraftYear=2016 |title=David Onyemata College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=June 1, 2024}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.cfl.ca/2016/03/15/manitobas-onyemata-dominates-pro-day/ |title=Manitoba's Onyemata Dominates Pro Day |website=CFL.ca |access-date=June 1, 2024}}
}}
=New Orleans Saints=
Onyemata was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft as the 120th overall pick.{{Cite web |title=2016 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2016/draft.htm |access-date=May 17, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He was the first player from the University of Manitoba ever selected for the NFL draft, and the twelfth NFL draft pick from the CIS (now U Sports). The Saints traded their fifth round picks for 2016 and 2017 to Washington in order to draft Onyemata.Larry Holder, [http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2016/04/new_orleans_saints_david_onyem.html "Saints trade up for mystery man Canadian DT David Onyemata"], The Times-Picayune, April 30, 2016.[http://www.gobisons.ca/news/2016/4/30/bison-defensive-lineman-david-onyemata-makes-history-as-first-manitoba-bisons-football-player-selected-in-nfl-draft-by-new-orleans-saints-in-the-4th-round-120th-overall-pick-in-the-2016-nfl-draft.aspx "Bison defensive lineman David Onyemata makes history as first Manitoba Bisons football player selected in NFL Draft by New Orleans Saints in the 4th round (120th overall pick) in the 2016 NFL Draft"], Manitoba Bisons, April 30, 2016. He was also selected by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the fourth round of the 2016 CFL Draft.{{cite web | url=http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2016/05/david_onyemata_cfl_draft.html | title=CFL team selects Saints defensive lineman David Onyemata in draft | publisher=nola.com | date=May 11, 2016 | access-date=June 15, 2016 | author=Dabe, Christopher}}
In 2018, Onyemata played in all 16 games with four starts, recording 35 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and a forced fumble.{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=Kristopher |title=2023 NFL Free Agency Big Board: Top 50 Available Players |url=https://nodereportload.bleacherreport.com/articles/10067817-2023-nfl-free-agency-big-board-top-50-available-players |access-date=October 25, 2024 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}
Onyemata was suspended the first game of the 2019 season for violating the league's substances of abuse policy.{{cite web|title=Saints DT David Onyemata suspended one game|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/saints-dt-david-onyemata-suspended-one-game-0ap3000001034841|author=Bergman, Jeremy|website=NFL.com|date=June 28, 2019}} He was reinstated to the active roster on September 10, 2019.
On March 18, 2020, Onyemata signed a three-year, $27 million contract extension with the Saints.{{cite web|title=Saints to re-sign DT David Onyemata on 3-year, $27M deal, source says|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28912860/saints-reach-agreement-dt-david-onyemata|author=Triplett, Mike|website=ESPN.com|date=March 16, 2020}}
In Week 9 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football, Onyemata recorded his first career interception off a pass thrown by Tom Brady during the 38–3 win.{{Cite web |title=New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - November 8th, 2020 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202011080tam.htm |access-date=November 12, 2020 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
On March 3, 2021, Onyemata agreed to convert part of his $7 million base salary into a signing bonus to free up cap space for New Orleans. On July 16, Onyemata was suspended six games by the NFL after testing positive for a banned substance.{{cite web|title=Saints DT David Onyemata suspended six games for violation of PED policy|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/saints-dt-david-onyemata-nfl-suspension-banned-substance|author=Patra, Kevin|website=NFL.com|date=July 16, 2021}}
=Atlanta Falcons=
On March 16, 2023, Onyemata signed a three-year, $35 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons, reuniting him with his former Saints position coach, Ryan Nielsen, who was named the Falcons defensive coordinator.{{cite web|title=Falcons sign defensive tackle David Onyemata|url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/report-falcons-agree-to-terms-with-former-saints-dl-david-onyemata|author=McElhaney, Tori|website=AtlantaFalcons.com|date=March 16, 2023}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://www.atlantafalcons.com/team/players-roster/david-onyemata/ Atlanta Falcons bio]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160430183152/http://www.gobisons.ca/roster.aspx?rp_id=1636 Manitoba Bisons bio]
{{Saints2016DraftPicks}}
{{Atlanta Falcons roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Onyemata, David}}
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:Atlanta Falcons players
Category:Canadian football defensive linemen
Category:Manitoba Bisons football players
Category:New Orleans Saints players
Category:Nigerian players of American football