Jordan Petaia, Roje Stona, and Aaron Sexton Named to NFL’s 2025 International Player Pathway Class

Olympic discus champion Roje Stona and Australian rugby union international Jordan Petaia are set to join the newest cohort of athletes participating in the NFL’s International Player Pathway program, both having chosen to pursue careers in the NFL. This IPP initiative aims to identify international talent, providing participants with a chance to hone their American football abilities and potentially secure a position on an NFL team roster. A 10-week training camp, comprising both field and classroom sessions, will commence in Florida in January for 14 athletes. Following this, they will demonstrate their capabilities to NFL scouts in advance of next year’s NFL draft. From the 2024 class, rugby union players Louis Rees-Zammit and Travis Clayton, along with Gaelic footballer Charlie Smyth, were all chosen by NFL teams. The cohort for 2025 features Dante Barnett and Mapalo Mwansa from the United Kingdom, while Ulster rugby union wing Aaron Sexton is the sole representative from Ireland. Stona, aged 25, previously trained with two NFL teams last spring. He subsequently secured Jamaica’s inaugural Olympic gold medal in a throwing event at Paris 2024. Petaia, 24 years old, had previously been associated with a transition from rugby union and intends to follow the path of fellow Australian Jordan Mailata. Since its inception in 2017, the IPP program has seen 41 international players join NFL teams, with 23 currently affiliated with teams and six having secured positions on active rosters. Mailata stands as the program’s most successful alumnus, having transitioned from age-grade rugby league to become an integral member of the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line, contributing to their Super Bowl appearance in 2023. Peter O’Reilly, an NFL executive vice president, stated, “Focusing on our global football development efforts and fostering international talent is crucial to growing our game globally.” He added, “The IPP program offers life-changing opportunities for international talent, and we look forward to following their progress in the weeks and months ahead.” Dante Barnett, Mapalo Mwansa, and Aaron Sexton are scheduled to commence training in Florida starting in January. The complete list of athletes selected for the 2025 IPP class includes: * Jordan Petaia (Australia) * Laitia Moceidreke (Australia) * Laki Tasi (Australia) * Jeneiro Wakeham (Fiji) * Joachim Trouabal (France) * Maceo Beard (France) * Leander Wiegand (Germany) * Aaron Sexton (Ireland) * Roje Stona (Jamaica) * Nathaniel Salmon (New Zealand) * Paschal Ekeji Jr (Lesotho/Nigeria/South Africa) * Dante Barnett (United Kingdom) * Mapalo Mwansa (United Kingdom/Zambia) * TJ Maguranyanga (Zimbabwe)