MAPALO ‘Maz’ Mwansa picked up NFL after a trip to Texas to visit a family friend.
He then caught the eye of some players while at university in England running laps of the track.
Now, the electric 20-year-old linebacker is on his way to the United States to compete for an NFL roster spot.
“I had a brief stint in American football when I went to visit a family friend in Houston, Texas in 2015,” Maz told The Sun.
“My uncle was in the garden playing American football and I said ‘how do you throw this?’
“From there I knew about touchdowns and had a small knowledge about the sport.
“A couple of guys who played American football at my university saw me run track there.
“They looked at me and asked what sport I play and I told them I just go to the gym.
“They said ‘what a waste’ and that triggered me.
“I watched some things on Netflix, gave it a browse and delved into the sport.”
Maz went to Loughborough University in England to study a degree in economics.
He ran a 10.4-second 100m and converted that into a 4.45-second 40-yard dash time.
Maz’s speed and agility caught the eye of scouts at the NFL Academy.
And now scouts have selected him to compete in the International Player Pathway.
“Pound for pound from the power lifting I had good ratios and I was fast,” he said.
American football and the NFL – those are crazy athletes.
“People that are as flexible as gymnasts, as quick as sprinters and built like sumo wrestlers.
What is the IPP?
The NFL’s International Player Pathway was founded in 2017.
Every year it gives athletes from around the world a chance to earn a spot on a roster.
Scouts pick a select group of players to travel to the US and take part in training camps.
Players can then be signed as free agents or chosen at the NFL Draft.
There are currently 18 IPP players in the NFL with five of them on active rosters.
Those are Jordan Mailata (Philadelphia Eagles), Efe Obada (Washington Commanders), Jakob Johnson (Las Vegas Raiders), Sammis Reyes (Washington Commanders) and David Bada (Washington Commanders).
“To play American football you need a toughness about you and to be a great athlete, and I feel like I had some of those aspects.
“I like contact and playing the physical sport.
“Playing soccer, I was strong, quick and loved headers so looking back at it I was playing the wrong sport.
“I watched the IPP program last year and saw a future if I train the way I’m training and use my abilities I can get there.
“My parents are proud I’m getting the Zambia and UK flags out there and be able to be a pioneer of something.”
