Onye Onuoha played in 12 games this past season, recording 10 pass breakups and 37 tackles. Photo by Lilly Frieling.
BROOKS BAKER-WATSON | STAFF REPORTER | bbakerwatson@butler.edu
When 6-year-old Onye Onuoha sat down with his family to tune in to Super Bowl XLIV, he did not expect anything to blossom out of a competition he created with his younger sister.
“We didn’t know [which] team was [which], and it’s her first time watching football,” Onuoha said. “So I’m like, ‘I’m going for the black and gold team, and you go for the blue team,’ and my sister just said, ‘Ok.’”
Little did the Onuoha siblings know that they were going to witness one of the most iconic Super Bowls of the 21st century between the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints — a game that featured Peyton Manning throwing for over 300 yards, a surprise onside kick by the Saints to enter the second half and the immortalized interception by Tracy Porter to seal the game and give New Orleans its first and only Lombardi Trophy.
With all these electrifying plays unfolding before his very eyes, Onuoha slowly became increasingly enveloped in the game, bringing out a passion from within to share the same stage as the players on his screen.
However, as with most athletes who want to go pro, Onuoha first had to grapple with whether he even had a shot to make the league — a thought that kept changing over the course of his playing career.
“When I got to high school, I started playing a little bit more [and the dream was still a dream],” Onuoha said. “Then I got recruited to college, and I was like, ‘Maybe there is an outside shot of being able to play [in the NFL] right?’”
Onuoha was first recruited to Dartmouth College out of Montbello High School in 2020, where he spent four years as a cornerback for the Big Green. It was after his senior season that he decided to transfer as a graduate to Butler, where he saw an opportunity to fully live up to his potential.
“[When] I came to Butler, I wanted to be able to take my shot,” Onuoha said. “So, when I was [going] into these [last two] seasons, I started to realize [that] there’s definitely an opportunity here [to make a name for myself].”
Not only did Onuoha make a name for himself on the Bulldogs’ defense, but he also put the entire Pioneer League on notice. In 24 games played, Onuoha recorded two sacks, 70 total tackles, one interception and 11 passes defended — ten of which came during the 2025 campaign. He was also listed as an honorable mention on the 2025 All-PFL teams this past year.
After the season concluded for Butler, Onuoha felt like it was finally time to attempt to make his dream a reality. So, he entered his name into the NFL Draft.
“People who’ve mentored me or who’ve played in the league before, they’ve said, ‘Hey, you have all the intangible [skills], but can we just put that together?’,” Onuoha said. “So, that kind of gave me the confidence to just go out [these past few seasons], play free [and] just have fun because the more I have fun, the more I feel like I’m [playing] into my goals.”
Although it is a major step, entering his name in the draft is only the first step of a multi-month process that can be grueling for prospective players — especially for those who are not coming from the FBS level, the upper echelon of college football.
For example, Onuoha is currently in his home state of Colorado, prepping with an independent trainer to perform in front of NFL scouts at Dartmouth’s pro day. After not receiving an invitation to the NFL Combine — only 300 to 330 players are invited each year — attending a pro day is the only option for Onuoha and players like him to showcase their skills.
But where that can be seen as a burden, Onuoha views it as a blessing. After all, the draft in reality is about as predictable as a hurricane when it comes to who will be picked and when, combine or no combine. Current star wide receiver Tyreek Hill and NFL Hall of Fame tight end Antonio Gates are two prominent cases of players who have made their mark on the league without attending the combine.
“The NFL [teams] are like, ‘If you can play, you can play,’” Onuoha said. “There’s no politics. It doesn’t get into a popularity contest; it’s all about production, numbers and what you can do on the field.”
When it comes to how he hopes NFL teams will perceive his play, Onuoha believes that his versatility on the field will jump off the tape.
“From what I’ve shown throughout my film and throughout [my career], I’m an all-around corner that’s not just a corner,” Onuoha said. “I can be plug-and-play in the [defensive] secondary. Like you can put me at safety, you can put me at nickel [corner], you can put me [anywhere] and I will find a way to thrive. Not just because I’m fast, but also because of the physicality I bring and I’m cerebral and know where I’m supposed to be at. I can impose my will on somebody else.”
On-field play is only half of the story that prospects must show teams to garner attention. The other half is how they not only carry themselves, but also those around them.
According to head coach Kevin Lynch, teams will not have to worry about Onuoha being a nuisance in the locker room.
“Onye was one of the first guys I met when I took the job here, and was one of the first conversations I had with a guy in my office when we were deciding what he was going to do in finishing [his] fifth year,” Lynch said. “I’m so glad that he played here; he’s just a really good guy. [He’s a] good leader, does things the right way and he’s a good football player. You know he’s obviously got the physical size to play at the next level and he really understands the game well. I just think [any team that picks him up] is going to get a very mature, focused guy. He’s very well thought out. [He] knows how to put the work in and will bring his best every day.”
Senior defensive back Will Mason, Onuoha’s teammate and fellow draft prospect, shared similar reviews of his presence in the locker room, saying that he is and has been a person focused on uplifting others more than anything.
“[He’s] the type of guy that you were glad you had in your room,” Mason said. “Always, always, always just being positive [and] keeping the team morale up. He was just always a plus, never a negative, never neutral for the room. He’s a guy who’s gonna bring his whole self every single day into the room. I think that’s one of the things you learn about him pretty quickly. He’s a quiet guy; he doesn’t say much to start with. [But] once you get to know Onye, he’s a talker and then he also can really become a force [to be reckoned with].”
Overall, Onuoha is fully embracing the trials and tribulations that have come or will come as draft day approaches. But at this very moment, the focus for him is taking every day for what it is.
“I kind of got this from [our strength and conditioning coach Dan Wenger] when me and him had a long talk one time about my goals and stuff; but he was mainly focused on [telling me] to be where my feet are at,” Onuoha said. “You can’t worry about tomorrow if you don’t live for today. Being in the moment, enjoying the little things in life, doing the things that you’re supposed to do. Maybe it’s training, being in school, [hanging out] with friends, being with family, like those are important steps to help you along this process, right? So, if you kind of overlook those, you’re not seeing the true value, the hard work and the meaning of this journey. The journey within itself is the thing that’s the most admired and the greatest thing about this process, not where you get to.”
Sixteen years ago, Onuoha thought the closest he would ever be to an NFL field was watching the Super Bowl with his family. Now, he is only one chance away from stepping onto one for himself.
