The Atlanta Falcons land a massive offensive tackle out of Ohio State with their sixth and final pick in the draft.
byTori McElhaney&Will McFadden
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. With the 231st pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected Ohio State offensive tackle Ethan Onianwa.
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Onianwa is the second offensive player taken by Atlanta in this year's draft, and he brings a lot of size for line coach Bill Callahan to work with. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 333 pounds, Onianwa started 34 games at offensive tackle during his four seasons at Rice University before transferring to Ohio State for his final season.
Let's take a closer look at what Onianwa brings to Atlanta.
Height:6-foot-6
Weight: 333 pounds
Age:22
School:Ohio State
Career Stats:Started 34 out of 52 games played, 25 at right tackle and nine at left tackle
- Click to view complete stats
Honors:Senior Bowl (2025), American Bowl (2025)
Expert Opinions
Dane Brugler, The Athletic: "Onianwa is a massive human, with long arms, thickness in his quads and a tall, broad frame. He is an average athlete and has mediocre foot quickness to mirror speed in space, but his body control and bend help him get the job done. He is more consistent in the run game, where he can lean on defenders and create movement with sheer force. NFL scouts speak highly of his intelligence, work habits and character. Overall, Onianwa's inability to win a starting job on an average Ohio State offensive line is an obvious red flag, but his size and raw ability are worth bringing to camp and potentially adding to the practice squad."
Why He Fits
Like defensive tackle, offensive tackle was an area of draftable need for depth in the wake of Kaleb McGary's retirement. The Falcons picked up Jawaan Taylor in free agency to fill that immediate need, but he's only on a one-year deal. With swing tackle Storm Norton coming off an injury that kept him off the field entirely in 2025, the Falcons could use reinforcements at the position. Onianwa is quite the physical reinforcement.
His size jumps off his chart. He's in the 90th percentile of weight and wingspan for a player at his position. And though he didn't earn a starting spot at tackle for the Buckeyes this year, he still comes to the NFL with a lot of college experience under his belt. Enough to warrant a seventh-round pick and a chance to make an NFL roster, especially one that could use some big bodies in offensive line depth.
This story will continue to be updated.
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