Why isn’t the NFL recruiting Australia More for Talented Prospects?

Most Australians grow up watching and playing Australian rules football, rugby league, with the best turning professional, but there have been some pretty damn impressive football players who have signed in the NFL.

There are currently eight Australian players in the NFL for the 2022-23 season, and I am not just talking about punters, the Eagles landed a stud from Australia.

I didn’t realize how serious the Aussie fans were in NFL football until I began talking to some of them. They were telling me about how they watch the sport, play online pokies, and even blog about certain prospects playing rugby for their favorite teams.

I wanted to talk about a few Aussie players who have made a big time impact in the NFL. It should be a place we recruit more.

While there are several punters in the NFL like Michael Dickson, Arryn Siposs, Mitch Wisnowsky, and Cameron Johnston, let’s talk about a few Aussie players who have made a living in the trenches.

The Philadelphia Eagles have a thing for Aussie players. They have had four of the 8 Aussie players play on their roster and three are currently on their roster right now.

Jordan Mailata

Jordan Mailata has turned into one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL. He was born in Bankstown, New South Wales and was a rugby player growing up. This kid had to have heart surgery and step away from the game he loved. He gained some weight and would end up being drafted in the 7th round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He signed a four year deal worth 4 million dollars back in 2021. That is pretty impressive.

Matt Leo

Another Philadelphia Eagle from Australia. Leo grew up a plumber and played soccer and basketball as a child. He started sending his workout videos to colleges in the US and ultimately landed a shot at Arizona Western CC, before landing at Iowa State. He has been a solid pass rusher for the Eagles. He is part of the International Pathway Program.

Adam Gotsis

Gotsis is a big boy that was taken in the 2nd round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He is a Melbourne native who discovered his love for football back in 2010 when he was the MVP of his league. He would enroll at Georgia Tech and the rest is history. He was the highest draft pick from Australia in NFL history.

Daniel Faalele

A MASSIVE MAN, he stood at 6’9 and weighed almost 380 pounds when he was drafted last year by the Baltimore Ravens with the 110th overall pick. Faalele is the biggest player in the NFL right now, and the fifth heaviest player in NFL history. He weighs as much as a baby elephant, that is a big boy. When you put it all together, this kid could be the future of protecting Ravens QB Lamar Jackson.

Australia has some very good football players, why are we not talking about it more?