The Kansas City Chiefs have been allocated a player for the 2023 season via the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.
The Chiefs have been assigned Nigerian offensive lineman Chukwuebuka Jason Godrick, who was one of six Nigerian players discovered at Osi Umenyiora’s “Uprise Academy.” He attended the inaugural NFL Africa talent camp in Ghana last year before being selected as one of 38 prospects to attend the NFL International Combine in London, England, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last season.
The 22-year-old offensive line prospect, nicknamed “Chu” has a long way to go in his development still. At 6-foot-5 and 295 pounds, he has played basketball for the majority of his life and only recently made the switch to football. He even revealed to reporters at the NFL International Combine that he’d never played a game of organized football before.
Jason Godrick plans to “dominate” as an NFL offensive lineman. The first hurdle seems like a big one, though.
“I've never played an organized game of football before,” the Nigerian said.
He's hoping the NFL's international combine can help change that.https://t.co/TmHDUKw2It pic.twitter.com/t5jrJUwpW0
— AP NFL (@AP_NFL) October 4, 2022
He’ll get an opportunity to prove himself this offseason with Kansas City, and at the conclusion of training camp, he’ll be eligible for an international player exemption on the practice squad with the Chiefs. This would grant Godrick to the team as an extra player on the practice squad. Under certain circumstances, he would even be eligible for elevation to the active roster.
Godrick is one of eight players who were allocated to NFC North and AFC West teams via the program following the 2023 NFL draft. Now all 32 teams have been allocated at least one player from the International Pathway Program since its inception back in 2017.
