Purdue player Uche Nwaneri was selected by the Jaguars in the 5^th Round in 2007.  Nwaneri entered professional football as a raw interior prospect with raw functional strength. He secured a roster spot as a rookie, earning rotational reps before making his first career start late in his debut campaign to solidify a physical offensive line during a playoff-bound season.

Nwaneri unlocked his starting baseline in 2008 at left guard before switching to right guard in 2009—a move that permanently established his place in the starting five. Renowned for his squatty leverage and persistent effort in the run game, he served as a primary road-grader alongside center Brad Meester, paving massive interior rushing lanes during Maurice Jones-Drew's peak power-running years.

He became a constant fixture upfront for North Florida over the next four years. From 2010 through 2013, Nwaneri missed only a single contest out of 64 possible regular-season games, routinely taking full-game snap counts despite frequent lineup changes around him.

After his release in March 2014, Nwaneri signed a summer contract with the Dallas Cowboys but chose to hang up his cleats when he did not make the final 53-man cut, ending his active playing career in a Jacksonville uniform.  He overall started 92 of his 104 games.