BroBible
Nathaniel Salmon is going to play college football because he technically did not play in the NFL. However, the soon-to-be 22-year-old freshman already went through an individual Pro Day with the international pathway program and tried out for the Los Angeles Chargers.
He is just the latest example of the increasingly blurred lines for “amateur” athletics.
A former professional basketball player who worked out for an NFL organization will begin his college football career at the same age most people graduate. Multiple high-profile suitors have already showed their interest.
Born Feb. 12, 2004, Salmon hails from Prirua, New Zealand. He stands 6-foot-6, 270 pounds.
Salmon grew up in a big basketball family. All four of his siblings played at a college or national level and he also went pro at a young age.
The 21-year-old started playing professional basketball at the age of 17 in New Zealand with the Manawatu Jets and the 3X3 affiliate of the Wellington Saints. His career also took him to Australia with the North Gold Coast Seahawks, where he averaged 15.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in 15 games.
And then the NFL took notice.
The National Football League invited Nathaniel Salmon to the American football academy in Gold Coast. Scouts were impressed by his athleticism even though he had never picked up a football before. That earned him a spot with the NFL’s International Player Pathway program. He started to train as a tight end and spent 10 weeks at IMG Academy earlier this year to work on his craft.
