Former Michigan Wolverines football and current New England Patriots defensive end Chase Winovich is enjoying a breakout campaign in 2020, having started all four games and racked up 14 tackles, 2.5 sacks and three tackles for loss, the latter two of which lead the team.
ESPN writer Bill Barnwell tabbed Winovich as his "Under the Radar Breakout of the Year" in an article he wrote today, in which he handed out several awards pertaining to the NFL season so far.
"A more traditional breakout belongs to Winovich, who was considered a steal from the moment the Michigan product fell to the Patriots in the third round of the 2019 draft," the analyst wrote.
"Moved into a starting role after the Patriots were ripped apart by free-agent losses and opt-outs in their front seven, Winovich has 2.5 sacks and six knockdowns in the first four games of the season.
"Winovich is winning on 29.5% of his pass-rush attempts this season, the fifth-best rate in in the league."
Winovich's teammate (both at Michigan and with the Patriots), offensive lineman Michael Onwenu, meanwhile, is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the top rookies in the entire NFL this season.
He has started all four games for New England (two as an extra tackle on the right side, one at left guard and one at right guard), and has seen his workload increase each week.
He played just 22 snaps in the season-opener before seeing 29 snaps in week two, and saw that number skyrocket to 69 plays in week three and finally 76 snaps on Monday night.
Onwenu's hot start to his pro career is a bit surprising. He was just a sixth-round pick in this past April's NFL Draft, residing as the second-lowest of the four U-M offensive linemen who were chosen (Ben Bredeson, Cesar Ruiz and Jon Runyan were the other three).
"If Onwenu played any position besides interior offensive line, he’d be the single most compelling draft storyline of this rookie class," Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus wrote after tabbing him to PFF's All-Rookie Team as a left guard.
"He has been utterly dominant in two starts at guard the past two weeks and splitting time at tackle early in the season. Onwenu is currently the second-highest graded guard in the entire NFL, at 92.2 overall.
"He’s allowed only two pressures on 103 pass-blocking snaps this season. He hasn’t faced world beaters up front against the Raiders and the Chiefs, but grading to that level isn’t a fluke.
"There are almost no ugly losses to speak of on his tape. It looks like the Pats got a good one."
Pro Football Focus' average game grade for a player is 64, and Onwenu has been tabbed at 72.1 or higher by the outlet in each of his four starts. Monday night's performance at Kansas City was his best performance yet, with the publication pegging him with an elite 91.3 grade.
Pro Football Focus isn't the only company recognizing his outstanding play so far, however, with Barnwell also giving him some praise today. The writer recognized Onwenu as one of the top candidates for "Offensive Rookie of the Year" recognition in the NFL so far.
"These awards, unfortunately, almost never reward linemen," he wrote, before tabbing Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow as his winner.
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