Chiefs Add Offensive Line Help Through International Player Pathway Program
An offseason ago, the Kansas City Chiefs added defensive lineman Kehinde Oginni Hassan via the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPP) program. While Oginni Hassan didn't last too long in Kansas City, the reach of the IPP began to spread more than it had in the past. The 2023 IPP class also sees the Chiefs land some more help in the trenches, this time on the other side of the ball.
On Thursday morning, the NFL announced this year's international class via a Twitter thread. In that thread, the African country Nigeria has representative Chukwuebuka Jason Godrick coming to Kansas City:
Godrick, whose nickname is "Chu" according to American Football International, is one of six players from Nigeria who were selected to participate in the NFL's IPP combine. AFI notes that Godrick was a primary basketball athlete who is attempting to transition over to football, and its article also has an excerpt in which a pair of brothers detail how they believe Godrick's natural athleticism in basketball will help him become "a top tier athlete" overall.
Here's a bit more directly from the NFL on what the IPP is all about:
Established in 2017, the NFL International Player Pathway program aims to provide elite athletes from around the world with the opportunity to earn a spot on an NFL roster and increase the number of international players in the League.
Godrick, who is 6-foot-5 and weighs 295 pounds according to AFI's article, is expected to soon join his new teammates in Kansas City and begin competing throughout the rest of the offseason. He's one of eight IPP players in this year's class to earn that chance in the NFL — one player for every team in the AFC West and NFC North.
If Godrick doesn't make the 53-man roster to begin the season, the Chiefs can still keep him around on the practice squad if they have that desire. The NFL grants clubs with IPP players a special practice squad exemption that would allow for an additional spot on the final practice squad total. That is a far more likely outcome for Godrick than a straight-up roster spot assuming he remains with the Chiefs organization, which would still give both sides more time to develop his profile in an effort to form another productive IPP experience while also not forcing him into in-game action.
