Uche Nwaneri
Number77
PositionGuard
Birth dateMarch 20, 1984
Birth placeDallas, Texas, U.S.
Death dateDecember 30, 2022 (aged 38)
Death placeWest Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.
Height6 ft
Height in3
Weight lbs310
High schoolGarland (TX) Naaman Forest
CollegePurdue
Draftyear2007
Draftround5
Draftpick149
Pastteams
Statlabel 1Games played
Statvalue 1104
Statlabel 2Games started
Statvalue 292
PfrNwanUc20

Uchechukwu Eberechukwu Nwaneri (/ˈuːtʃeɪnwɑːˈnɛri/ OO-chay-_-nwah-NERR-ee, ; March 20, 1984 – December 30, 2022) was an American professional football guard who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers and was selected by the Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL draft.[1] After retiring, he ran "The Observant Lineman" channel on YouTube.[2]

Early life

Nwaneri attended Naaman Forest High School in Garland, Texas, where he was teammates with Melvin Bullitt.

Nwaneri committed to Purdue University on July 8, 2003.[3] Nwaneri also had FBS scholarship offers from Kentucky, and Texas A&M.[4]

Professional career

Jacksonville Jaguars

Nwaneri saw limited action as a rookie during the Jaguars' 2007 playoff run, playing in nine games with one start.[5] The next season, he was elevated to starter after an injury to starting guard Vince Manuwai. In all, he appeared in 15 games during the 2008 season, starting 15 of them.[6] He allowed 4.5 sacks during the season.

In 2009, Nwaneri and fellow guard Maurice Williams competed for the starting guard position opposite the returning Vince Manuwai. Nwaneri won the job; Williams was deactivated for much of the season before being released on December 5, 2009.[7] Nwaneri appeared in all 16 games, starting 13 of them.[8] He was only credited with allowing one-half of a sack. Nwaneri was also not penalized during the 2009 season.

Nwaneri's most notable plays occurred in the 2011 season when he made two offensive fumble recoveries in separate games against the Carolina Panthers and the Baltimore Ravens.

Nwaneri was released on March 4, 2014.[9]

Dallas Cowboys

Nwaneri signed with the Dallas Cowboys on June 25, 2014.[10] He was cut during final roster cuts on August 30, 2014.[11] Following his release, he chose to retire from the NFL.

Death

Nwaneri died on December 30, 2022. Preliminary results indicated a possible heart attack. He was 38.[12]

References

  1. ^ "2007 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-05-11.
  2. ^ "Uche Nwaneri - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  3. ^ "Uche Nwaneri". Rivals.com. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  4. ^ "Uche Nwaneri". Scout.com. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  5. ^ "Uche Nwaneri 2007 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  6. ^ "Uche Nwaneri 2008 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  7. ^ "Maurice Williams". www.rotoworld.com. Archived from the original on 2008-10-06.
  8. ^ "Uche Nwaneri 2009 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  9. ^ Ryan O'Halloran (March 4, 2014). "#jaguars have released starting right guard Uche Nwaneri.". No. 440867940536438785.
  10. ^ Helman, David (June 27, 2014). "Cowboys Officially Sign Veteran Guard Uche Nwaneri". www.dallascowboys.com. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  11. ^ Halprin, Dave (August 30, 2014). "Dallas Cowboys Roster Cuts 2014: 53-Man Roster Settled For Now, Ryan Williams Cut". www.bloggingtheboys.com. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  12. ^ Wilkins, Ron (2 January 2023). "Former Purdue, NFL player dies in West Lafayette home". Journal & Courier. Retrieved 2 January 2023.