A former rugby wing from Lesotho who traded Currie Cup rugby for the NFL through the league's International Pathway Program.
Paschal Ekeji has one of the most unusual backgrounds on the Jets roster: born in Lesotho to Nigerian parents and raised in South Africa, he built his athletic career on the rugby pitch before the NFL's push into Africa put him on a football path. He now plays defensive end for New York after signing through the league's International Player Pathway program.
Path to the league
Ekeji grew up in Bloemfontein, South Africa, attending Grey College and Stellenbosch University while playing rugby, including senior minutes on the wing for Western Province starting in 2022. He attended the NFL's first Africa Camp in Accra, Ghana in June 2022, and was later selected for the NFL's International Player Pathway program in December 2024.
Career highlights
Before football, Ekeji built a rugby resume that included Currie Cup appearances for Western Province and, after recovering from a knee ligament injury, a stint with the Sharks XV in 2025. He holds triple citizenship in Lesotho, Nigeria, and South Africa, reflecting a background the NFL specifically targets through its International Pathway Program.
2025 season recap
Ekeji signed with the New York Jets' practice squad as a defensive end on November 27, 2025, wearing No. 54, and converted that into a reserve/future contract on January 5, 2026. He was designated as the Jets' exempt international roster player, a status that lets teams carry an added practice squad spot for Pathway participants.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Paschal Ekeji
- New York Jets: Jets Sign Paschal Ekeji to Practice Squad
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Defensive End
- Group
- defense
- College
- -
- Hometown
- Maseru, Lesotho
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
