10 NFL Players You Didn't Know Were Born Outside the United States (2024)

Unlike many other sports leagues, the NFL doesn't have many players born outside the United States. Approximately 97% of its players are American-born.

However, the NFL has started addressing this by establishing the International Player Pathway Program (IPPP). Initiated in 2017, the IPPP aims to attract more international talent to the league.

Before 2017, the NFL made efforts to expand its international reach through programs like the NFL Traditional Development Practice Squad Program (2004-2009) and the NFL Undiscovered program in 2016.

The IPPP offers a better structure, enabling foreign-born players to succeed in the league. Here are 10 NFL players you didn't know were born outside the United States.

1 Chase Claypool - Abbotsford, BC, Canada

Drafted in the second round of the 2020 draft by the Steelers.

Chase Claypool is a 26-year-old wide receiver born in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. He went to college in Notre Dame where he finished with 150 receptions for 2,159 yards.

He stands out as one of the top foreign-born players accumulating impressive stats in the league. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected him in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

In his first season, Claypool made history by becoming the first rookie in the Steelers' franchise to score four touchdowns in a single game. He was also the first player to achieve the feat since Roy Jefferson in 1968.

Claypool now plays for the Buffalo Bills after signing a one-year contract with the franchise on May 3, 2024. After a couple of disappointing stints in Chicago and Miami, he's hoping to revive his career this coming season.

2 Efe Obada - Lagos, Nigeria

Signed with the Cowboys in 2015 as an undrafted free agent.

Efe Obada, the 32-year-old Washington Commanders’ defensive end, spent his early years in the Netherlands and England before coming to the United States. He made his professional football debut in the BAFA National Leagues of Great Britain.

He signed with the Dallas Cowboys in April 2015. But things never really got started for him in the league till 2017, when the NFL introduced the IPPP.

Before then, Obada had short stints with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Atlanta Falcons. After the NFL established the IPPP, the Carolina Panthers signed Obada through the program.

The highest point in his career would be the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019, when Obada served as honorary captain. He's had injury problems since signing for the Washington Commanders in March 2022, but when healthy, he is a pretty solid defensive player.

3 Younghoe Koo - Seoul, South Korea

Koo has emerged as an onside kick specialist for Atlanta.

One of the last places you'd expect to see a South Korean is the NFL. Younghoe Koo only became the fourth player to play in the NFL when he signed for the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2017.

After playing the 2017 and 2018 seasons with the Chargers, Koo left the NFL for the Alliance of American Football (AAF) side Atlanta Legends. He rejoined the NFL following the suspension of the AAF. He didn't eventually sign for the Chicago Bears despite working out with the team.

The New England Patriots added him to their practice squad in October 2019 but released him just 11 days later. His career started to take shape when he signed for the Falcons on October 29, 2019. He has played five seasons for them, with his 2023 performances earning him two NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

4 Danielle Hunter - St. Catherine, Jamaica

Cashed in this offseason after nine years in Minnesota.

Defensive end Danielle Hunter, born in Jamaica, has played nine seasons in the NFL. When the Minnesota Vikings drafted him in 2015, he was the youngest rookie in the league at just 20 years old.

Known for his athleticism and strength, he was compared to Jason Pierre-Paul who already had two Pro Bowl selections at that time. In his first two seasons, he had a total of 18.5 sacks in 30 games. This made him only the third player in Vikings history to do so in their first two seasons.

After nine successful seasons in Minnesota, he signed a two-year deal worth $49 million with the Houston Texans earlier this offseason.

5 Mitch Wishnowsky - Gosnells, Western Australia, Australia

One of seven Australians to win the Ray Guy Award (most outstanding punter) in college.

Mitch Wishnowsky is a 32-year-old punter known for his powerful kicks since college. His punting records in college earned him the Ray Guy Award in 2016.

During that season, Wishnowsky topped the nation in punts downed inside the opponent's 10-yard line. He also ranked second in Division I FBS with an average punt distance of 47.7 yards.

Only American and Australian-borns have won the award since 2000. Wishnowsky is one of seven Australian-born players to win it.

Wishnowsky, selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, is currently their starting punter.

6 Jordan Mailata - Bankstown, New South Wales, Australia

Drafted without ever playing college football

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Jordan Mailata formerly played rugby for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs as an under-18 before joining the South Sydney Rabbitohs as an under-21 player. He switched careers to play football after the NFL executives offered him the opportunity through the IPPP.

The Philadelphia Eagles decided to use their seventh-round pick in the 2018 draft to select Mailata. He became only the second player to enter the league without college football.

Before Mailata, Moritz Böhringer was the only player who had achieved this feat. Mailata quickly got the hang of football, establishing himself as an offensive tackle.

His strong performances on the field made fans describe him as a wrecking ball. He contributed to the Eagles reaching their fourth Super Bowl, where they lost 35-38 to the Chiefs.

7 Jakob Johnson - Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Signed with New England as an undrafted free agent in 2019.

German-born Jakob Johnson entered the NFL through the IPPP. He began his career playing in Germany for the Stuttgart Scorpions before making the move to the United States.

Johnson's a rarity in two categories - one, is he's a fullback, a position that is endangered in today's NFL. Two, he was born in Germany. In a 2023 interview, Johnson spoke of how the game has grown in his home country since he grew up.

Now of course, the NFL regularly goes to Germany as part of its international series.

After signing with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2019, his first season didn't quite live up to expectations. During that period, he appeared in only four games.

His career sparked to life when he scored a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 of the 2020 season. He became the first player to do so from the IPPP.

8 Graham Gano - Arbroath, Scotland

Holds the record for longest field goal made in a playoff game (58 yards).

Graham Gano is a Scottish-born placekicker for the New York Giants. During his time at Florida State University, he spent three years as a punter and kicker for the Florida State Seminoles football team.

He was set to start his professional career as an undrafted free agent with the Baltimore Ravens before the team waived him in September that same year. He had a short spell outside the NFL when he signed for the Las Vegas Locomotives.

He, however, returned to the NFL on December 8, 2009, playing his first NFL game with Washington. Gano registered his first goal attempt just five days later in a game against the Oakland Raiders.

He has since played 16 seasons in the NFL and currently holds the record for the longest-made field goal in the playoffs (58).

9 Kyle Hamilton - Heraklion, Greece

Hamilton has emerged as one of the NFL's best young safeties.

Kyle Hamilton had an impressive college career at Notre Dame. As a freshman, Hamilton appeared in 13 games, starting once, and achieved 41 tackles, along with four interceptions and one touchdown. His performance earned him recognition as a Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America.

The Ravens invested their 14th overall first-round pick to bring Hamilton onto their roster. He immediately started to show promise, recording three solo tackles in their 24-9 win against the New York Jets. He made the PFWA All-Rookie Team that season.

His career reached new heights when the Ravens named him their starting safety for the 2023 season. He finished the season with 63 solo tackles and 4 interceptions.

He also broke an NFL record. He has the most sacks in the first half of a game, after he registered three sacks in the opening half of the Ravens’ Week 3 game against the Indianapolis Colts.

10 Josh Palmer - Brampton, Ontario, Canada

Can move up the Chargers' WR depth chart with the departures of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

The Chargers may have found a sleeper pick in 2021 when they drafted a top Canadian prospect in the third round. The Brampton, ON native played his college ball at Tennessee, after relocating to the states in high school.

The Chargers immediately saw some promise, as Josh Palmer played in all 17 games, starting five in his first season.

He concluded the 2021 campaign with 33 catches, totaling 353 yards and scoring four touchdowns. However, it was difficult to jump the chart as star wide receivers like Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

Nevertheless, Palmer kept improving. He wrapped up the next season with 72 catches for 769 yards and three receiving touchdowns, sitting out just one game.

Injuries marred his 2023 season to some extent, as the Chargers placed him on injured reserve on November 5, 2023, following a right knee sprain. Despite the injury problems, he managed to play 10 games, reaching 38 receptions for 581 yards and two touchdowns.

All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.