Biography

BIOGRAPHY

David Onyemata was born November 13, 1992, in Lagos, Nigeria. He is a defensive tackle in the National Football League.

Onyemata is a native of Lagos, Nigeria, where he attended the Chrisland Schools. He immigrated, on his own, to Winnipeg in 2011 to attend college. Onyemata had never seen a gridiron football game until he came to Winnipeg, but he became a standout player for the Bisons. He won the 2015 J. P. Metras Trophy as the top-down lineman in CIS football, was invited to play in the East-West Shrine Game, and became the top Canadian prospect in the 2016 draft.

Onyemata was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft as the 120th overall pick. 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. He was also selected by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the fourth round of the 2016 CFL Draft.

On March 18, 2020, Onyemata signed a three-year, $27 million contract extension with the Saints.

Onyemata signed a three year deal with the Atlanta Falcons on March 13, 2022.