A JUCO All-American who developed into a 300-tackle producer at TCU, Namdi Obiazor was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2026 draft.
Namdi Obiazor took the long road to the NFL, starting at Iowa Western Community College before becoming a four-year fixture at TCU. New England selected him in the sixth round of the 2026 draft, betting on a physical, instinctive linebacker with a career-high season to close out his college run.
Path to the league
Obiazor began his career at Iowa Western Community College, earning JUCO All-American honors as a sophomore before transferring to TCU in 2022. He started for the Horned Frogs through the 2025 season, becoming a core piece of their defense. The Patriots drafted him in the sixth round, 212th overall, in the 2026 NFL draft.
Career highlights
Across 53 games at TCU, Obiazor totaled 302 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and three interceptions. His 2023 season featured 84 tackles with six for loss and four sacks in 12 starts. At 6-foot-3 and 229 pounds, he backed up his college production with a 4.53-second 40-yard dash and a 37-inch vertical at the combine.
2025 season recap
Obiazor set a career high with 88 tackles for TCU in 2025, capping his college run as one of the Horned Frogs' defensive leaders. He earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors during the season after a strong performance against Colorado. New England drafted him on Day 3 as the third TCU player off the board in the 2026 draft.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Namdi Obiazor
- Pats Pulpit: Patriots draft Namdi Obiazor
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- TCU
- Hometown
- Eden Prairie, MN, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
