Haggai Chisom Ndubuis, a native of Nigeria who first learned about the NFL when he saw highlights on YouTube when he was 18, will get another chance to make it as a pro football player.
The Commanders announced that they have signed Ndubuis, who was identified by the NFL’s International Player Pathway program and has spent the last few years honing his skills in football.
At 6-foot-7 and 323 pounds Ndubuis has been tried out as a lineman on both sides of the ball. He played offensive line for the Cardinals in the 2022 preseason and defenisve line for the Broncos in the 2023 preseason. The Commanders called him a defensive lineman in their announcement.
The NFL has encouraged teams to sign international players by, among other things, granting roster exemptions for them. Ndubuis will not count toward the Commanders’ 90-player offseason roster limit. If he ends up on their practice squad, he also will not count toward the 16-player practice squad limit.