NFL's Philadelphia Eagles Draft 346-Pound Australian Rugby Player

[Wagerallsports]

Eagles draft 346-pound Australian rugby player Jordan Mailata ​

Michael David Smith
4/28/18


PFT noted last month that an enormous Australian rugby player was getting attention from NFL teams, and one team in particular liked him enough to draft him.

The Eagles took Mailata in the seventh round, with the 233rd pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

Mailata was announced as an offensive tackle, and at 6-foot-8 and 346 pounds it makes sense that that’s the position the Eagles would want him to play. He’s never played American football before and he has a long, long way to go before the Eagles would trust him to protect Carson Wentz‘s blind side, but the raw talent is there.

The 20-year-old Mailata has been working with the same coach who prepared the German wide receiver Moritz Bohringer for his NFL workouts before the Vikings chose Bohringer in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL draft. Bohringer didn’t pan out and is currently out of the league, but Mailata is another player from overseas who will now get a chance in America’s game.

 

[BMR_Brad]

Hope he works out better than Jarod Hayne did at the 49ers.

Hayne was the #1 in NFL shirt sales for a few weeks there Australians want an NFL crossover player to be successful so badly.

Never heard of this guy, he's a big unit though.

 

[GreenAcres]

I think teams would've learned from the Pain of Hayne and make sure the kid is actually able and ready to play before allowing him on the field, let alone praising him as the next superstar of the league. You'd hope so anyway!

 

[BMR_Brad]

I think teams would've learned from the Pain of Hayne and make sure the kid is actually able and ready to play before allowing him on the field, let alone praising him as the next superstar of the league. You'd hope so anyway!

I'm still surprised the 49ers didn't stick it out with Hayne.

Think he could have been a key player for them within a couple of seasons.

 

[GreenAcres]

I'm still surprised the 49ers didn't stick it out with Hayne.

Think he could have been a key player for them within a couple of seasons.

Yeah I think it became apparent pretty quickly that he needed time to develop before expecting him to ace a brand new sport. He's such a naturally gifted athlete that I think you're right, he would've come good eventually although he's a bit of a wacko to me. Fingers crossed Mailata goes well though