NFL IPP Pro Day 2025: Highlights, Standouts, and Notes

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NFL IPP Pro Day, The League Winners

On Wednesday morning, I had a chance to attend and cover the NFL International Player Pathway Program’s (IPP) workout at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. It was a relatively small workout group, as nine players participated throughout the IPP Pro Day across various positions. The viewing party was also small, with only three scouts in attendance for the event.

The group had some players flash some impressive skills during the drills. Some showed great upside, while others showed impressive polish moving through the drills. Overall, it was a good event to get even more familiar with some very under-the-radar players in this year’s draft and UDFA class.

NFL IPP Pro Day Participants – Offense

Offensive Line: Jeneiro Wakeham

After the 40-yard dashes, the first position up for drill work was the offensive line. Unlike at the USF Pro Day, there was only one player who went through the drills: Fiji’s Jeneiro Wakeham.

Wakeham ran through the entire gauntlet of offensive line drills, whether it was pulling drills, footwork drills, and everything else in between. On the surface, this was a big test for Wakeham; with no other players in his group, the offensive lineman’s stamina and mentality was immediately pushed in the hot Florida sun.

The Fiji native’s footwork was not perfect, as is expected from a very raw player. However, Wakeham had good lateral movement throughout his workout. It felt like he got lighter on his feet as the workout progressed, getting into the groove of playing the offensive line positions. Additionally, Wakeham stood out in the pulling and screen drill. It was during these drills that everything came together; Wakeham displayed nice footwork, technique, movement ability, and power.

Wakeham is nowhere near a finished product; there are plenty of techniques and movements that he needs to learn and refine. But with his size and athletic ability that has flashed in his workouts, the Fiji native is someone a team could take a shot on and reap a considerable reward.

Fullback: Dante Barnett

Similarly to Wakeham on the offensive line, Dante Barnett was the only player to run through drills from a backfield position.

As a pass-catcher, Barnett was solid with his routes and movements. He ran a very precise angle route and showcased some nice ball-tracking skills on his wheel route. When it comes to speed, Barnett left that up to interpretation; rather, he showed that he is a fluid athlete who can perform good movements with good control.

However, something became apparent once the blocking drill started: the United Kingdom product loves to hit.

Barnett brought a different level of aggression to his reps in this portion of the workout. He hit the bags aggressively and quickly, something he did not fully showcase during his route running drills. He moved with the mentality of a defender (something that will come up later) and likely is the type of player who would be looking to level his opponent in a game. Combined with good footwork and solid technique, it was clear that the UK product felt at home making different kinds of blocks on the offensive end.

When examining his all-around game, Barnett could easily find a home in a specific offensive scheme. His willingness to block would be useful to a team that runs zone concepts consistently. Additionally, his solid hands and footwork could allow him to be a solid safety valve.

Barnett would likely have to answer a few big questions when it comes to blocking at the NFL level, and if he would even be used on the offensive side of the ball (once again, more on that in a bit). Yet with the skillset he brings to the table, the UK native could earn a shot to prove that he can translate his impressive workout onto a professional football field.

Tight End: Laitia Moceidreke and Nathaniel Salmon

Regarding upside, the tight end group for the NFL IPP has plenty of it.

At tight end, both Laitia Moceidreke and Nathaniel Salmon ran through blocking and receiving drills. During blocking drills, both players showed a willingness to attack downhill and bring contact to their opposition. Salmon displayed solid form and hand placement on the blocks, while also showing body control to perform them at a suitable level.

Meanwhile, Moceidreke showcased decent power and footwork, especially during the down-blocking drill. I also enjoyed how he finished through his blocks during the drills.

Where Moceidreke and Salmon really impressed, though, was their pass-catching ability. Outside of the deep speed he showed, Salmon, the New Zealand native, had impressive change of direction with his routes. He was quick on his feet on an out/stick route and showed an impressive cut on a drag route. The tight end was fluid in dropping his hips and running the necessary route, which is impressive for a player as raw as he is. And despite the occasional drop or slip, Salmon displayed nice speed down the field and solid hands.

As for Moceidreke, I was also impressed by his footwork throughout the receiving drills. On the vast majority of his routes, the Australian product was smooth and wasted no movement. He was able to sink his hips nicely and get upfield quickly after catching the ball. He was able to stop in a fluid manner on a crosser to simulate playing against zone coverage while also showing comfortability as a mover deep down the field.

Most importantly, Moceidreke showed off impressive hands. On multiple occasions, the tight end showed an ability to snag the ball one-handed and while on the move. This is in addition to the ball-tracking ability he flashed over the rest of the workout.

There are areas in which both players could improve their games. I would like to see Salmon continue to refine his blocking technique and keep working on his concentration when catching the ball. For Moceidreke, I would like to see a bit more speed on some of his routes, allowing him to set up defenders with double moves.

However, both players fit into what the modern age of football asks from its tight ends. As a result, Moceidreke and Salmon could easily attract interest as developmental options at the professional level.

Wide Receiver: Aaron Sexton and Joachim Trouabal

From start to finish, Ireland’s Aaron Sexton and France’s Joachim Trouabal lit up the field at IMG Acadamy. On short routes, both players showed off impressive quickness and burst. They were in and out of their breaks fluidly and made their routes look easy.

Trouabal was specifically impressive with his ability to sink his hips on routes (think change of direction) and his twitchiness. Sexton was more of the smooth mover; the Irish native looked like he was gliding at times and showed a nice feel for how to change speeds with his routes.

As the routes developed deeper down the field, both players continued to perform well. Trouabal displayed nice deep speed to complement his short area quickness. Sexton, on top of his own speed, showed off a good feel for ball-tracking. Both players also had a good understanding of their routes. Even if they were not perfect, there were not a lot of wasted movements. 

Most important, though, was how Sexton and Trouabal took to the coaching at the workout. Scouts from the Buccaneers and Patriots instructed the wideouts on how to run specific routes and try something different; both players listened and executed the routes at a higher level immediately. As they head toward the professional level, that is a trait as valuable as any that they possess.

Building on their performance at USF’s Pro Day, both Sexton and Trouabal showed they have the talent to run routes at a high level at the NFL IPP Pro Day. And as former rugby players, they already have experience dealing with hits and contact.

The key question is how both Sexton and Trouabal would translate to the NFL game as a whole. Are their releases at the line of scrimmage ready for the NFL level? How will they fit into an offensive scheme? Can their athletic ability translate to a professional level?

It is up to a team to determine if they want to take a chance on either player. But from their performances this spring, both Sexton and Trouabal have definitely earned the chance.

NFL IPP Pro Day Participants – Defense

Defensive Line: Dante Barnett, Paschal Ekeji Jr., Laki Tasi

From the onset of the drill work, I was impressed by Dante Barnett (who also tested at fullback). Getting some work on the defensive side of the ball, the UK native moved with precise footwork and good change of direction skill. He attacked each drill with intensity and maximum effort. As a result, it was easy to tell that Barnett had something to prove when it came to his defensive abilities.

During the pass-rushing drills, Barnett showed a balanced skillset. When hitting the bag, the prospect struck with speed and proper technique. He moved through the drill with not just smoothness, but with the speed and bend that is necessary to play football at the next level.

Additionally, I was initially impressed by Paschal Ekeji Jr. during drill work. At the USF Pro Day, the edge rusher had some great reps in the bag and movement drills. At the NFL IPP Pro Day, Ekeji Jr. did more of the same.

The edge rusher displayed impressive change of direction, quick feet, and solid speed. On the bag drill, Ekeji Jr. not only flew through the drill but did so with impeccable footwork.

The IPP product’s traits immediately translated to the wave drill, too. Ekeji Jr. put everything together to produce some of the best reps of the entire day from the defensive side of the ball. He moved through the drill work with speed, used his body control/technique to fire his hands correctly, and got around the bag with impressive athleticism.

As for Laki Tasi, the Australian product popped a different way than the other two players.

Despite being a bigger player on the defensive line, Tasi showcased solid change of direction skills early on. This continued with the bag drill; I loved how light Tasi looked on his feet and how fluid he moved for a player his size. He did not stumble or move out of control; instead, he attacked the drill in a very similar way to his smaller counterparts.

During the wave drill, I loved the easy power Tasi displayed when hitting the bags. Firing the pass-rush moves with an open hand, Tasi sent the bags rocking back and forth while on the move. The impressive hand power and strength were evident immediately, which ties in nicely with his lateral movement ability.

Barnett, Tasi, and Ekeji Jr. are all different types of players on defense. Tasi is a toolsy player who would likely slot into the middle of a defensive line, while Ekeji Jr. will likely be seen as a developmental edge rusher. Barnett is an intriguing case, as his frame presents a challenge in determining where it is best to play him.

Regardless of their ultimate landing spots, though, all three defensive linemen were able to show off a certain aspect of their game that could make an NFL or other professional team find them intriguing for their roster.

Linebacker: Paschal Ekeji Jr.

Along with his edge rusher drills, Ekeji Jr. participated in linebacker drills on Wednesday.

He showed solid change of direction skills and hands, just like he did in his defensive line drills. With how fluid he looked in space with his speed, one could even make the argument that Ekeji Jr.’s future home is at the linebacker position.

However, what stood out the most was how he battled through the drills. Ekeji Jr. did not waste any time after the EDGE drills to get to work. It would have been easy to take a rest for an extended period, and also very acceptable. Pro Day testing is very important for a player’s prospective NFL future, and especially one in the IPP program trying to prove themself.

The mindset he displayed is one that teams will value at the professional level.

Defensive Back: Maceo Beard

From the start of the IPP Pro Day to the end of it, Maceo Beard simply put on a show. The defensive back was lightning-quick on his feet and did not waste movement. Every step was with purpose and done with extreme precision; it never felt like Beard had to take a stutter step or completely slow down to fly through a drill.

The most impressive thing, though, was Beard’s technique. From the way he flipped his hips, caught the ball, and moved on his feet, Beard looked like he belonged. In the truest sense, he looked like someone who had played a large amount of football. And this is the case, as Beard was a star in the European League of Football and won the league’s DPOY.

Beard has been one of my favorite defensive backs to watch over the past month due to his entire package of skill and athleticism on the field. He looks to be a fun prospect that a team could, and likely should, take a shot on.

Final Thoughts

As the years continue to go by, the international football product continues to improve, and that has been seen with the 2025 NFL IPP Pro Day.

Multiple players have already been signed from the class, such as TJ Maguranyanga of Zimbabwe (Commanders) and Jordan Petaia of Australia (Chargers). It would be surprising if more players from the class do not find homes relatively soon, especially considering their performances at the USF Pro Day, as well as the IPP Pro Day.

These players will likely need some time to develop and truly find their roles on a professional roster; it would be a stretch to call them ready-made stars or contributors.

However, do not get it twisted. These players have the talent and potential to make an impact at the next level. It would not be a shock to hear one, or even multiple, players from the class making an impact in short order. So, in the midst of draft season, make sure to keep an eye on some of the players of the IPP program.

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Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Fairleigh Dickinson University in May 2023 with a Communications Degree, a concentration in Multimedia Journalism, and a minor in Broadcasting. Received an M.A. in Communication from Fairleigh Dickinson University in May 2024. Wrote for Jets Insider for two years, previously hosted a Knicks podcast for Let's Talk Knicks, and contributed to Inside the Iggles. Currently a writer for Jets X-Factor. Avid movie watcher, gym goer, music listener, and MMA fan.

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