In one of the most unique moves of the offseason, the Green Bay Packers are bringing in shot put and discus thrower Roje Stona to rookie minicamp prior to training camp.
NFL insider Aaron Wilson reported that the Packers had sent an invite to Stona. The New Orleans Saints also invited Stona to their camp, with both teams showing interest in him.
At 6’6″ and 270 pounds, it’s easy to see why Stona has drawn interest from multiple NFL teams. Now, he’ll have an opportunity to show teams what he’s capable of once on the football field.
Who Is Roje Stona?
If you’re a hardcore college football fan, you’ve probably still never heard of Stona. That’s because he’s never played competitive football.
However, Stona still has a reputation in college athletics. He worked as a shot put and discus thrower with the Arkansas Razorbacks. The team’s track and field X account posted some of the accolades for Stona on X.
Stona’s accolades include a silver medal in the NCAA indoor shot put, the UA indoor shot put record, and a career-best discus distance to potentially compete in the Paris Olympics.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein provided some added context on Stona as a prospect.
“As a discus and shot put thrower, Stona possesses explosive hips and above-average core strength to pair with very long arms and huge hands,” Zierlein wrote. “He will likely be targeted as a developmental project at tight end, where he will have to learn to block.”
A rookie minicamp invite doesn’t guarantee Stona a spot on the 90-man roster for training camp. However, if he can show enough flashes of athletic ability in his 6’6″ frame, the Packers might be willing to take a swing on him as a developmental project.
Noteworthy Packers Undrafted Free Agents
Stona is far and away the most unique player invited to Packers rookie minicap. However, there are other undrafted free agents headed to Green Bay that are worth discussing.
South Florida offensive lineman Donovan Jennings highlights this list. He set a program record with 55 games played, earning an invite to the East-West Shrine Bowl in the pre-draft process.
At 6’4″ and 323 pounds, Jennings has good athleticism and versatility to play multiple spots on the offensive line. His best tape came in a hard-fought battle against the Alabama Crimson Tide. He’ll have a very real chance at making the final 53-man roster given the team’s depth questions on the offensive line.
Michigan’s Trent Jones will also be competing for a spot on the offensive line. Don’t sleep on Wisconsin long snapper Peter Bowden, either. The Packers had issues with snap consistency last season, and Bowden was widely considered the best long snapper in this draft class.
Alcorn State running back Jarveon Howard will be another interesting name to monitor. He has a solid frame at 5’10” and 215 pounds, and showed good contact balance and quick feet to be elusive in open space. However, he’ll have an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster or practice squad with backs like Emmanuel Wilson and A.J. Dillon.
The good news is that the Packers will have plenty of competition in training camp, helping everyone on the roster elevate their game.
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