Giants signed a 6-foot-9 offensive lineman Osi Umenyiora helped them find — and compares him to a Super Bowl-winning teammate

Tom Coughlin, Founder of the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund and 2X Super Bowl Winning Head Coach, left, jokes around with Osi Umenyiora, former NY Giants defensive end, at the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Champions for Children Gala at the Cipriani in New York City on Friday, October 15, 2021.
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The Giants signed an offensive lineman in hopes they just found their own Jordan Mailata. Giants legend Osi Umenyiora thinks they just found another Kareem McKenzie.

Either way — it’s a lottery ticket they’re hoping cashes out down the line.

Friday, the Giants signed Roy Mbaeteka, a 6-foot-9, 320-pound offensive lineman from Nigeria without any high school or college football playing experience. He’s part of the NFL’s International Pathway Program that helped the Eagles find Mailata, a rugby player without zero football experience from Australia that has become one of the NFL’s most talented offensive tackles since he was drafted in 2018.

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The Giants have Umenyiora to thank for Mbaeteka too. In April 2021, the 22-year-old Mbaeketa attended a football camp held in Abuja, Nigeria, and Umenyiora was in attendance. From there, Umenyiora helped get Mbaeketa invited to the NFL’s International Player Pathway Combine in London where he competed against 70 other athletes — and in the process Umenyiora became a mentor to him. He’s also spent some time in Arizona working out with former Saints offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley.

The NFL held a showcase for the international players in Arizona where Giants scout Jeremy Breit was in attendance. The Giants were impressed enough to fly Mbaeteka to New Jersey on Thursday to sign him to a contract.

Umenyiora tweeted on Friday that he was an “emotional wreck” upon hearing the news and that “what this means for so many people where we come from is impossible to explain.”

Mbaeteka will certainly be a project, but Umenyiora thinks the tools are there for him to become an NFL offensive lineman.

“Once you see him, you know he’s physically imposing and in a year or two if you immerse him in football culture, he’s going to be fantastic,” Umenyiora told the Giants team website. “The Giants took a chance. Not much of a chance, I think. When you see him working, you’re going to know what he’s about.”

Umenyiora compared him to McKenzie, a starting right tackle for the Giants for both Super Bowl wins in 2007 and 2011.

“He has the same temperament,” Umenyiora said. “He’s very smart, but he’s a very athletic player.”

Zack Rosenblatt may be reached at zrosenblatt@njadvancemedia.com.

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