{"id":881114,"date":"2026-05-03T06:45:28","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T06:45:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/881114\/"},"modified":"2026-05-03T06:45:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T06:45:28","slug":"texas-roots-shape-broncos-third-round-draft-pick-tyler-onyedim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/881114\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas roots shape Broncos third-round draft pick Tyler Onyedim"},"content":{"rendered":"

An old Texas high school football player visited his former coach before making NFL dreams a reality.<\/p>\n

Shaun McDowell sure is proud.<\/p>\n

Last month, just ahead of the NFL draft, McDowell received a message from future Denver Broncos defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim. He was back home in the Houston area. Onyedim \u2014 pronounced OWN-yedum \u2014 wanted to link up.<\/p>\n

McDowell coached him at Foster High School in Richmond before later accepting the head football coach and athletic director position at Grand Oaks High School in Spring. That\u2019s about 60 miles north of Onyedim\u2019s hometown. No problem.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe drove an hour in Houston traffic to come see me,\u201d McDowell said. \u201cThat was pretty cool.\u201d<\/p>\n

McDowell is a guiding voice for Onyedim for years now. He cheered on every step of his football journey \u2014 from Foster to Iowa State to Texas A&M to the NFL draft \u2014 since Onyedim was a three-star college recruiting prospect in high school. He logged 21 tackles for loss and 12 sacks as a prep senior.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a guy who really did have an outstanding high school career. He made me a better coach, for sure. Just a high-quality individual,\u201d McDowell told The Denver Gazette. \u201cHe came in as a freshman, and you could see that he had a lot of potential because he\u2019s a big kid. Just athletic for being such a big man. He was really a staple after that on our defensive line. We won a lot of football games because he was on there. \u2026 He was really, really, really good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras (7) throws a pass over Iowa State defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim (11) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo\/Charlie Neibergall)<\/p>\n

Their conversation shifted to the NFL draft. Onyedim improved his stock tremendously with one standout season at Texas A&M. The 6-foot-3, 292-pound defensive tackle posted 48 tackles (8.5 for loss) with 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble.<\/p>\n

Where would he land in the NFL?<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we talked, he said it felt like he had a third-round draft grade,\u201d McDowell said. \u201cThe funny thing is that I don\u2019t think the Broncos were mentioned.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fate had different ideas. On Day 2, the Broncos traded back four picks in the draft \u2014 No. 62 in the second round to No. 66 in the third round \u2014 when Onyedim received an orange-and-blue premonition. Then a phone call.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw Denver on the clock. I saw they traded (a pick). I just had a feeling they were picking me. I just had a feeling,\u201d Onyedim recalled later on a media call with local reporters. \u201cWhen they traded, I looked at my agent, and I just knew. I knew what it was. That\u2019s how I felt. \u2026 I feel like it\u2019s the perfect place for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

It seems the NFL pundit class agrees.<\/p>\n

Daniel Jeremiah is a former league scout who now provides analysis for the NFL Network. He discussed the Broncos\u2019 potential options on Day 2 during a pre-draft media call.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey lost John Franklin-Myers (in free agency), so you could look for a defensive lineman that maybe has some inside-outside versatility and flexibility,\u201d Jeremiah said.<\/a> \u201cNow, there are a couple of intriguing guys. \u2026 Tyler Onyedim from Texas A&M would be another one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Onyedim garnered significant pre-draft praise from other national NFL analysts like Dane Brugler of The Athletic.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just physical ability,\u201d Brugler said on the Underdog Fantasy Football podcast<\/a>. \u201cHe understands how to get blockers leaning, how to deconstruct those blocks, and then create that disruption versus the run and the pass. In my opinion, Onyedim is going to be a Day 2 pick and just be a solid player for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Miami quarterback Carson Beck (11) fumbles the ball as he is sacked by Texas A&M defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim (11) during the second quarter in the first round of the NCAA College Football Playoff, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo\/Sam Craft)<\/p>\n

Broncos general manager George Paton and coach Sean Payton discussed why the team selected Onyedim at No. 66 overall during a post-draft news conference at Broncos Park.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt Iowa State they were playing him at a different (position),\u201d Paton said. \u201cIt was a 3-3-5 scheme. He was two-gapping (and) playing blocks. He wasn\u2019t penetrating. He wasn\u2019t rushing as much. He got to see and do more at A&M, which he\u2019ll be doing here. The tape was good at Iowa State, but we really liked it at A&M.\u201d<\/p>\n

Payton added: \u201cIt was really the athleticism, and playing a position (where) it\u2019s always hard to find defensive tackles. His strike (and) his shed. But it was the athlete (and) makeup. Those were the traits.\u201d<\/p>\n

Onyedim told reporters he studied every member of the Broncos defensive line. He was also a college teammate with Eyioma Uwazurike at Iowa State. Onyedim said it was \u201ca blessing\u201d to \u201clearn from the best\u201d in Denver.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like I\u2019m a versatile player. I can play anywhere on the defensive line,\u201d Onyedim continued. \u201cMy get-off is a really good get-off. I have a really good first step. I feel like I\u2019m a true defensive lineman.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Broncos are getting an equally talented person \u2014 if you ask his former high school coach.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe flashes on the field. You see his talent and what he can do. His ferocity. But honestly, off the field, he\u2019s quiet. He\u2019s not going to bring a lot of attention to himself. He\u2019s just going to put in the work,\u201d McDowell told The Denver Gazette. \u201cHe\u2019s super smart. He\u2019s a gentleman. He\u2019s a great football player. I think he\u2019s going to represent the Denver Broncos to the fullest.\u201d<\/p>\n


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