Thundering into the NFL
FORMER South Sydney monster Jordan Mailata is on track for a $20 million payday after making history by becoming the first rugby league forward to be chosen in the NFL draft.
Speaking exclusively to News Corp, Mailata – nicknamed The Thunder from Down Under – says he shed tears after being picked up by Super Bowl champions the Philadelphia Eagles yesterday.
The 204cm, 150kg Mailata is the first forward in rugby league’s 110-year history to be plucked from the NFL draft in a landmark occasion that will see him pocket a rookie contract of $613,000. It is a remarkable rise to fame for the 21-year-old, who only arrived in America in November after his agent sent YouTube footage of his blockbusting rugby league charges to NFL scouts.
In the space of five months, the man mountain has gone from an unknown under-20s player at Souths to an NFL-contracted rookie who has become a smash hit with American television networks.
The Eagles scooped up Mailata in the seventh round with pick No. 233 overall – paving the way for the boy from Bankstown in Sydney to launch his NFL career.
“It is unbelievable that I am drafted to the Eagles who are the Super Bowl Champions,” Mailata said.
“I was getting nervous towards the end of the draft picks. The whole waiting process was tough. The clubs’ draft picks were becoming less and less and I thought I had missed the boat until my manager said, ‘Jordan stay near your phone’.
“Then it rang immediately with the news I was being drafted to the Eagles.
“I just broke down. I can’t believe it. I have so many people to be thankful to. My family, my coaches in America who have taught me the game, my friends back home and my agents, Chris and Gavin Orr, as PSM for all their support.”
Mailata – who trialled before all 32 clubs a fortnight ago after entering the NFL’s International Program – stands to earn a salary he could never have dreamt of in the NRL.
The lowest-paid NFL player in his chosen position, Left Tackle, earns $613,000 a season. There are 30 Left Tackles in the NFL who earn more than $2 million. The NFL’s highestpaid Left Tackle, New York’s 203cm, 145kg Nate Solder, earns $20.1 million annually.
Mailata stunned NFL scouts with his testing data. In the 40yard dash, he clocked 5.12 seconds – a time that would have placed him in the top 10 in his position had he entered the NFL combine earlier this year.