International Player Pathway: Chargers Add DL Basil Okoye

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  • pigskin
    Registered Charger Fan
    • Jun 2013
    • 397
    • Southern Oregon
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    International Player Pathway: Chargers Add DL Basil Okoye

    The National Football League today announced the names of eight players added to NFL rosters for the 2023 season through the NFL International Player Pathway (IPP) program. One Australian, one French and six Nigerian players from the 2023 IPP have been allocated to NFL clubs, the highest number in a single year since the program's inception.

    Established in 2017, the NFL International Player Pathway program aims to provide elite athletes from around the world with the opportunity to earn a spot on an NFL roster and increase the number of international players in the league.

    "To see this hugely talented group of players be allocated to NFL rosters is very exciting, and a testament to the success of the NFL's global football development programs for international athletes," said Peter O'Reilly, NFL executive vice president, club business, major events and international. "The International Player Pathway is a critical program in identifying, supporting and enabling athletes from around the world and we look forward to seeing each players' NFL journey unfold as they become global ambassadors for the sport."

    This year, 13 talented young athletes were invited to join the 2023 IPP program following an NFL International Combine in London, England, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last season, with 38 players from 13 countries participating.

    The 2023 IPP cohort spent 10 weeks at an intensive training camp at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, earlier this year, with opportunities to showcase their talents in front of NFL club scouts at a pro day at the University of South Florida ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.

    From the NFL's eight divisions, the NFC North and the AFC West divisions were chosen to receive IPP players in a random draw and become the seventh and eighth division to participate, respectively.

    Both divisions have been selected to receive four players from the IPP, bringing the total number of IPP athletes placed on rosters through the program this year to eight -- the most in a single year of the program's history, with all 32 teams now having received an IPP player since the program's inception in 2017.
    Roy Mbaeteka 23 Nigeria OL Chicago Bears
    Patrick Murtagh 23 Australia TE Detroit Lions
    Kenneth Odumegwu 22 Nigeria DL Green Bay Packers
    Junior Aho 24 France DL Minnesota Vikings
    Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi 22 Nigeria DL Denver Broncos
    Chukwuebuka Godrick 22 Nigeria OL Kansas City Chiefs
    David Ebuka Agoha 21 Nigeria DL Las Vegas Raiders
    Basil Chijioke Okoye 21 Nigeria DL Los Angeles Chargers
    The six Nigerian players were discovered via Osi Umenyiora's The Uprise initiative and attended the inaugural NFL Africa talent camp in Ghana last year. They were then invited to the International Combine in London and secured their place on the IPP program.

    "To see these fantastic young Nigerian men achieve their dream to be on an NFL roster is incredibly exciting, and I am proud of how each one of them have worked incredibly hard to earn this moment," said Umenyiora, a two-time Super Bowl champion who was born in the UK to Nigerian parents and who is spearheading football development efforts in Africa. "I cannot wait to see how they develop next season and in the years to come, and know that everyone in Nigeria will be following their progress with pride."

    Jordan Mailata, Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle from Australia and an alumni of the IPP program, shared his words of advice for the eight athletes, adding: "My advice to the players coming into the program would be to enjoy and respect the process. Give it everything you've got. Embrace the opportunity and don't let it go to waste. Hard work will always outlast talent."

    The four NFC North clubs and four AFC West clubs will carry these eight players on their roster until the end of training camp. At that time, the players are eligible for an international player practice squad exemption, granting the team an extra practice squad member. Clubs also have the opportunity to elevate the player to the active roster during the season.

    Thirty-seven international players have signed with NFL teams since the start of the program (allocated, drafted or signed as a free agent). There are currently 13 IPP athletes on NFL rosters, with four of these on their team's active roster: Jordan Mailata (Australia, Philadelphia Eagles), Efe Obada (UK, Washington Commanders), Jakob Johnson (Germany, Las Vegas Raiders) and David Bada (Germany, Washington Commanders)
  • 21&500
    Bolt Spit-Baller
    • Sep 2018
    • 10381
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    #2


    "CJ" is listed as DL but potential OL too according to this website.

    .005 Brock Bowers, TE/HB/SR Georgia
    .037 Braden Fiske, DT Florida St.
    .069 Mike Sainristil, CB Michigan
    .105 Brenden Rice, WR USC
    .110 Mason McCormick, OG/OC S. Dakota St.
    .140 Zak Zinter, OG Michigan
    .181 Nehemiah Pritchett, CB Auburn
    .225 Ainias Smith, WR Texas A&M
    .253 Carson Steele, RB UCLA

    Comment

    • Lone Bolt
      Brock Bowers N.M.W.
      • Feb 2019
      • 4059
      • McLean Illinois
      • Pipefitter Illinois State University
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      #3
      Interesting program...the NFL should allot an extra practice squad spot for the development of these guys, to be forfeited if the player is actually activated...to enable teams to keep and develop them longer.
      The TPB makes plans....

      And Jim Harbaugh laughs...

      Comment

      • Ghost of Quacksaw
        Beef Before Gazelles
        • May 2021
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        #4
        BEEF!

        Comment

        • wu-dai clan
          Smooth Operation
          • May 2017
          • 12904
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          #5
          Basil Okoye.
          The Nigerian Nightmare.
          You don't know ball

          Comment

          • Fouts2herbert
            Charger Fan since 1978
            • Sep 2021
            • 3508
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            #6
            Originally posted by Lone Bolt View Post
            Interesting program...the NFL should allot an extra practice squad spot for the development of these guys, to be forfeited if the player is actually activated...to enable teams to keep and develop them longer.
            They do allocate and extra “excemption spot” and will bump our PS to 17 players but our FO didn’t always carry the full allotment of post pandemic 16 players last year, before the pandemic the PS used to be smaller (12?) I think they bumped it up to 16 due to covid losses on rosters and then the owners decided to keep it around after covid…but the IPP players come with their own special PS roster spot guaranteed…

            okoye, is considered the one guy coming out in this years class with a chance to stick around, he happens to be the youngest in the bunch and yet his body is considered NFL ready right now, he just turned 21 years old last fall and is 6’6” 315 pounds with 34 1/2” arms and high cut body of lean muscle mass, he basically looks like a bigger Roman Oben for those that remember how fit Oben was even though he weighed around 290-305 pounds in that range…they erroneously classified him as a DL on the list but he plays offensive tackle…some people think he has the potential to become the next jordan mialata…

            he’s young, he’s raw, but he has the tools of a legit high round pick…instantly he is probably the most physically gifted offensive tackle on the chargers roster…the chargers were basically handed a 2nd-3rd round draft choice and now it’s up to them to mold him into a player…

            me, I’d rather carry a guy like this on the roster than keep Jaimes just because he was a 5th round draft pick…okoye would most likely be inactive most of his first year but he’d also be learning from a fantastic group of guys…I don’t think he would last on the PS, someone would poach him, he’s too physically talented for other teams to resist, legit 315 pounders with that athletic profile, yeah, it’s irrelevant that he comes with his own PS spot because he wouldn’t last on the PS…hopefully the chargers appreciate the opportunity that they’ve been given here, I’d hate to have another wes welker situation…
            "The author assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this post. The information contained in this post is provided on an "as is" basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness..."​​

            Comment

            • Eurobolt
              *** Jim Harbaugh ***
              • Sep 2018
              • 1139
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              #7
              Originally posted by wu-dai clan View Post
              Basil Okoye.
              The Nigerian Nightmare.
              For us or for our opponents?

              Comment

              • wu-dai clan
                Smooth Operation
                • May 2017
                • 12904
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                #8
                Originally posted by Eurobolt View Post

                For us or for our opponents?
                For the entire football world.
                You don't know ball

                Comment

                • 21&500
                  Bolt Spit-Baller
                  • Sep 2018
                  • 10381
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                  #9
                  Originally posted by wu-dai clan View Post
                  Basil Okoye.
                  The Nigerian Nightmare.
                  I'm not the oldest guy here, but I think that's taken.
                  and F KC
                  .005 Brock Bowers, TE/HB/SR Georgia
                  .037 Braden Fiske, DT Florida St.
                  .069 Mike Sainristil, CB Michigan
                  .105 Brenden Rice, WR USC
                  .110 Mason McCormick, OG/OC S. Dakota St.
                  .140 Zak Zinter, OG Michigan
                  .181 Nehemiah Pritchett, CB Auburn
                  .225 Ainias Smith, WR Texas A&M
                  .253 Carson Steele, RB UCLA

                  Comment

                  • La Costa Boy
                    Pretty much retired......
                    • Sep 2018
                    • 2964
                    • JoJa
                    • Bloviator of hot air and rhetoric.
                    • Send PM

                    #10
                    Originally posted by wu-dai clan View Post
                    Basil Okoye.
                    The Nigerian Nightmare.
                    I'll be happy if he can become near anything as successful as Christian Okoye.....

                    Comment

                    • Bolt-O
                      Administrator
                      • Jun 2013
                      • 32157
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                      #11
                      Originally posted by Lone Bolt View Post
                      Interesting program...the NFL should allot an extra practice squad spot for the development of these guys, to be forfeited if the player is actually activated...to enable teams to keep and develop them longer.
                      I think that's what the article says... a Practice Squad exemption, and he could be elevated to the active squad.

                      Comment

                      • Fouts2herbert
                        Charger Fan since 1978
                        • Sep 2021
                        • 3508
                        • Send PM

                        #12
                        Originally posted by La Costa Boy View Post

                        I'll be happy if he can become near anything as successful as Christian Okoye.....
                        The position he plays was already more valued even in Christian’s era, but now it is even more premium than that…so he has an opportunity to follow in mialata’s shoes which are much bigger shoes to fill than christian okoye’s…even a poor man’s mialata might be an upgrade at least at swing tackle and perhaps even at RT…from everything I’m reading about him, he has rare physical tools at his size…
                        "The author assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this post. The information contained in this post is provided on an "as is" basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness..."​​

                        Comment

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