championtobi

  The Giants signed one of their most intriguing, noteworthy and unforeseen prospects of this or any offseason. Roy Mbaeteka is a 6-9, 320-pound offensive tackle who has no high school or college football experience. That's hardly surprising, considering he's lived his entire life in Nigeria. His nascent football career has also included stops in London and Arizona. Now he's heading to the Quest Diagnostics Training Center, where the Giants believe he can develop into an NFL-caliber lineman. So does one of Mbaeteka's mentors, former Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who lived in Nigeria as a youngster and was perhaps the first to spot the 22-year-old's talent. "Once you see him, you know he's physically imposing and in a year or two if you immerse him in football culture, he's going to be fantastic," Umenyiora said in a phone conversation from his home in London. "The Giants took a chance. Not much of a chance, I think. When you see him work...

  The National Football League  ( NFL ) is opening a pathway for African players with a developmental camp in Africa. The league announced that a three-day camp will take place in Africa this year June. It will feature players who previously participated at regional events led by Nigeria’s Osi Umenyiora, the two-time Super Bowl-winning defensive end with the New York Giants. Specific dates in June for the camp and a fan event will be communicated soon. “To bring the NFL to Africa has long been a dream of mine,” said Umenyiora, whose parents are Nigerian. “Today that dream is a reality. The opportunities that will come to so many Africans cannot be understated, and we are thankful for them. We cannot wait to show the world what we can do.” Loads of Nigerian football prospects are expected to benefit from the camp.