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| 12th June, 2008 - 4:33 pm | RealGM Staff Report - Sixteen of the best international football players from around the world will have an opportunity to play a role in the NFL this season as part of the NFL International Practice Squad Program.
The initiative, which enters its fifth year in 2008, will for the first time feature 16 players joining the practice squads of NFL teams to enhance the development of elite football talent from around the world. The expansion of the program was approved by NFL clubs at the league?s spring meeting in May.
The 16 players from seven different countries have earned positions on the practice squad rosters of teams in the AFC North, AFC West, NFC South and NFC West Divisions. More than 100 players competed at NFL International Player Development camps held in Europe and Asia in the past 12 months for the right to claim these coveted positions.
This year?s class brings the total number of participants to 38 since the program?s inception in 2004. One graduate of that initial class, Mexican guard ROLANDO CANTU, has already made his NFL debut, seeing action in the Arizona Cardinals? regular-season finale against Indianapolis in 2005.
?The practice squad program was an excellent experience for me,? says Cantu, who now serves as the Cardinals? manager of international business ventures. ?The exposure to the NFL environment and having an entire year with a team really pushes you to perform at a high level.? [READ] |
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