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Roja Stone, the reigning Olympic gold medalist in the discuss, is switching career. Or, at least, he’s trying to. The massive 6-foot-6, 270-pound Jamaican star has entered the NFL‘s International Player Pathway program in hopes of finding his way onto a roster.
The same program produced Philadelphia Eagles star left tackle Jordan Mailata. Mailata, who like Stone is a 6-foot-8, 365-pound mountain of a human being, had only ever played rugby before being selected in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Slowly but surely, he developed into one of the league’s best left tackles and could well make his first Pro Bowl appearance this season.
Stona is a bit of a different case, however. He starred in college for the University of Arkansas where he was an NCAA runner-up in the discus this past indoor season. Stone then went to Paris and shocked the field. Shortly after, he was offered the chance of taking part in the 10-week IPP program. Stona previously took part in the Razorbacks’ football pro day in March. He then attended minicamps with the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers last spring.
However, unlike Mailata he doesn’t appear destined for the offensive line. ESPN’s Tom Hamilton reports that scouts feel Stona is best suited for tight end or defensive end.
“After the Olympics, [the IPP] reached out again. I was like, ‘Yo, the door’s open’ again,” Stona told ESPN. “Of course, I’m take it. At the Olympics, I won gold, got a record. And after that offseason, they approached me again, so I took up the opportunity.”
Maiata is by far the biggest success story out of the International Player Pathway program. But the program is also growing with each subsequent years. Stona’s tools are undeniable and it’s very easy to see a world where some NFL team bets on its coaching staff.