Five European hopefuls from differing backgrounds have been added to this year’s NFL international Player Pathway (IPP) class as they seek to follow in the footsteps of Ireland’s Charlie Smyth, who landed a place on the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad after a successful showing at the 2024 Scouting Combine.

Bastian Roppelt (Germany), Lenny Krieg (Germany), Mark McNamee (Ireland), Ross Bolger (Ireland) and Jonata Loria (Italy) will join the 13 athletes, from 12 different nations, already named to the class of 2025. Roppelt, who has been plying his trade in the European League of Football, is alone as a punter amongst the quintet, the rest of whom are kickers. McNamee joins the programme from GAA side Ballyboden St Endas, while Bolger spent last season as the punter/kicker at Idaho State University. Loria, despite his Italian background, has been kicking for the Hildesheim Invaders of the German league, while Krieg (Stuttgart Surge) would have found himself up against Roppelt (Frankfurt Galaxy) in the burgeoning ELF in 2024.

The IPP programme, which was founded in 2017, expanded to include specialists for the first time last season, with Smyth becoming the poster boy after impressing the Saints staff with his kicking prowess. The five additions to the class of 2025 joined their new ‘team-mates’ at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and trained with IPP coaching staff before travelling to Indianapolis to showcase their abilities in front of NFL scouts at the 2025 Combine.

Since its inception, 41 international players have signed with NFL teams — whether allocated, drafted or signed as a free agent — with 23 IPP athletes currently on NFL rosters, including Super Bowl LIX winner Jordan Mailata (Australia).