Efe Obada like a role model for Commanders newest signee

Ndubuisi hopes to follow Obada’s lead to a long NFL career.

Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi met with the press Thursday, his first time since being signed by the Washington Commanders Wednesday.

Ndubuisi comes to the Commanders as a result of being part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program.

For those wondering, no, the signing of Ndubuisi does not unfairly eliminate a roster spot for another potential future player for the Commanders. This is because, beginning this season, each of the 32 NFL clubs is eligible to fill a 91st roster spot entering training camp and a 17th roster spot on its practice squad reserved for an international player.

The 23-year-old from Nigeria is a defensive lineman who stands 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 298 pounds. He spent last season with the Denver Broncos’ practice squad.

“I see this as an opportunity to keep living the dream, keep getting better and trying to achieve what the goal is, trying to be the best player. I feel like as each day passes I get to know, learn. It’s a learning process for me.”

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When asked what he is trying to achieve, Ndubuisi responded, “To be better than I was like previously. (I am) just trying to do the best, and just do my job. At the end of the day it’s all about doing my job.”

Ndubuisi volunteered that the coaches are very encouraging to him, he feels at home and welcomed.

Efe Obada was born in Nigeria and raised in the Netherlands and England. He was the first player to go straight from a European football league to the NFL and has had some success as a pass rusher for the Commanders.

“He’s like a role model for us because he happened to show us, prove to us that yes, it’s possible by putting more hard work and trying to (make an) impact in doing his job. I feel like if he could do it there’s nothing stopping us from doing the same.”

“I grew up playing soccer and basketball, but football for me was something I got introduced to later. I was putting hope in basketball and my first-ever video about football was greatest hits in football. I was amazed about it, and it was just so exciting.”

As a result, Ndubuisi began watching more football videos on Youtube, which furthered his interest in the sport and then led to him wanting to learn how to play it. He spoke of watching some videos and then going outside to practice what he had observed.

Ndubuisi gained his first experience in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals in 2022. He was then trying to make the team as an offensive lineman, but after appearing in one preseason game, he was released.

Former Chiefs DL Kehinde Oginni selected for 2023 International Player Pathway Program

A former member of the #Chiefs has once again been selected to participate in the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.

A former member of the Kansas City Chiefs has again been chosen to participate in the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.

Kehinde Oginni Hassan, a native of Abakaliki, Nigeria, joined the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent signing following the 2022 NFL draft. He was formerly a participant in the IPP program and the International Player’s Combine. This came after he was discovered by former NFL pass rusher Osi Umenyiora, at his Up Rise Academy in Abuja, Nigeria.

The NFL first implemented the International Player Pathway Program in its current form back in 2017. Through the program, international athletes are afforded an opportunity to develop their skills and compete at the NFL level as they work to earn a roster spot. Since its inception, a total of 26 international players have been allocated to NFL rosters. A number of players to participate in this program remain on 53-man rosters to this day, such as Eagles LT Jordan Mailata, Commanders DE Efe Obada and Raiders FB Jakob Johnson.

“The International Player Pathway program is an important part of our continued focus on growing the game globally and creating a pathway for international athletes to play in the NFL,” NFL EVP Peter O’Reilly said via press release. “We are delighted to see the impact this program is having on football development outside of the USA and are excited to see these talented athletes from across the world competing for a future spot on an NFL roster.”

Players will begin training in January, spending 10 weeks in the United States. They will have the opportunity to showcase their talents to NFL club scouts throughout the month of March. Players will either be selected via allocation or signed as undrafted free agents following the 2023 NFL draft, as Oginni was with the Chiefs a season ago.

If players are allocated, at least one NFL division will be chosen at random for the allocation process. The AFC West hasn’t yet been chosen for allocation since the IPP’s inception. After training camp, players allocated are eligible for an international player practice squad exemption, meaning they won’t count toward the 16-man practice squad limit.

The coaching staff in Kansas City chose to convert Oginni from the tight end position to a defensive lineman during the past offseason. While he didn’t make it through 53-man roster cuts, it appears that the position switch has been a success as he’s still listed as a defensive lineman. Perhaps he’ll even end up back with the Chiefs after a full year of work to get his weight up and training at his new position.

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