This 22-year-old offensive line prospect from Lagos, Nigeria was allocated to the Chiefs through the league’s International Player Pathway Program. Chukwuebuka Jason ‘Chu’ Godrick is one of the eight players allocated to NFC North and AFC West teams via the program following the 2023 NFL draft.
He has a long way to go in his development as he’s never actually played a game of organized football before. Prior to his discovery at Osi Umenyiora’s “Uprise Academy”, Godrick had only played basketball. Godrick gained the attention of the league at the NFL’s International Combine at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last October.
Combine & pro day results
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 315
10-yard split: 1.67s
Vertical: 30.5 inches
Broad: 101 inches
Bench: 21
3-Cone: 7.42s
Short Shuttle: 4.62s
Highlights & Film
Meet the newest Chief in Kansas City @Ebuka_G 🇳🇬 🙌@Chiefs you got a good one! 💪 pic.twitter.com/ADFvPib796
— NFL Africa (@NFLAfrica) May 5, 2023
Meet New Kansas City Chief Offensive Lineman Jason “Chu” Godrick. @Ebuka_G has aspirations of being an NFL Starter, All Pro and Super Bowl Champion.
The background is the field where he trained in Lagos. This was earned not given. pic.twitter.com/JwOtG4iXEg
— Educational Basketball (@EducationalBbal) May 5, 2023
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
Fit with the Chiefs
Getting an opportunity in the NFL was just the tip of the iceberg for Godrick. Having never played a game of organized football, he has a lot of catching up to do from a mental and schematic standpoint. There’s little doubt that he has the athleticism, size and length to compete at the NFL level, but he’s going to need time to develop as a football player. He’s clearly motivated to do so, but it’s all easier said than done. How he handles himself on the field and in the classroom will be key.
To this point, Godrick hasn’t participated in any practices during organized team activities. That could be due to how raw he is as a player, as you don’t want players practicing without knowing their responsibilities and what they’re doing. That’s how people get hurt in practice.
It could also be due to an injury issue that media members haven’t yet been brought up to speed on yet. NFL teams aren’t required to report injuries at this point of the offseason program. No matter what the situation, he’s not yet ready to be on the practice field.
Godrick is a developmental player for the Chiefs to mold from the ground up. He’s going to have an opportunity to impress the coaching staff this offseason and he’ll be eligible for an international player exemption on the practice squad with the Chiefs in 2023 should they so choose to keep him. He’d essentially be earning a redshirt year to learn the game and get into an NFL weight program. Under certain circumstances, he would be eligible for elevation to the active roster, but I wouldn’t expect that to happen in 2023.
2023 UDFA Spotlight Series
| Position | Player | School | Estimated release date |
| S | Isaiah Norman | Marshall | 5/31 |
| RB | Deneric Prince | Tulsa | 6/2 |
| CB | Ekow Boye-Doe | Kansas State | 6/5 |
| OT | Jason ‘Chu’ Godrick | International | 6/7 |
| LB | Isaiah Moore | NC State | TBD |
| OG | Jerome Carvin | Tennessee | TBD |
| CB | Reese Taylor | Purdue | TBD |
| WR | Nikko Remigio | Fresno State | TBD |
| S | Anthony Cook | Texas | TBD |
| CB | Kahlef Hailassie | Western Kentucky | TBD |
| C | Anderson Hardy | Appalachian State | TBD |
| CB | Anthony Witherstone | Merrimack | TBD |
| EDGE | Truman Jones | Harvard | TBD |
| LB | Cam Jones | Indiana | TBD |
