Lawrence Okoye to Jordan Mailata – rugby players who tried to crack the NFL

Jordan Mailata grew up playing rugby league and had reached the South Sydney Rabbitohs’ Under-20s, but there were continued concerns over his conditioning.

That’s when he received surely the best advice he’s ever had: “Why don’t you play a sport that appreciates your size?” At 6ft 8in and 365lb (166kg), that sport was American football.

“His agility and speed for a person of his size, who hadn’t grown into his full frame yet, it was so impressive,” says Scotland-Williamson, who was on the IPP programme with Mailata in 2018.

Aged 20, the Australian was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles and although he spent two seasons on their practice squad, he then became one of the NFL’s best offensive tackles and helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl in 2023.

Travis Clayton became the second IPP player to be drafted and Scotland-Williamson – a groomsman at Mailata’s wedding last year – reckons that bodes well for the 6ft 7in offensive lineman who weighs 301lbs (137kg).

“With the bigger body types in the trenches, you’ve got more chance of making a late transition [to the NFL] because you can’t really grow athletes that big, and they’re hard to find,” he says.

“Also, being drafted means more. People want to see their decision proved right because they’ve invested draft capital in you; they’ve stuck their neck out, so you’ll get more patience.”