Jamaican discus thrower Stona earns invite to NFL minicamp

Jamaican discus thrower Rojé Stona has been invited to a rookie minicamp hosted by National Football League (NFL) outfits Green Bay Packers as he begins his quest of playing professional American football.

Stona earned the invitation after impressing at the University of Arkansas NFL Pro Day in March.

According to the NFL analyst Lance Zierlein, Stona is rated as a priority free agent for NFL teams. Standing at 6’6” and 263 pounds, Stona is viewed as a track standout with an NFL body type and traits.

Zierlein wrote: “Stona possesses explosive hips and above-average core strength to pair with very long arms and huge hands. He will likely be targeted as a developmental project at tight end, where he will have to learn to block.”

However, where the Jamaican might have impressed with his athletic performances, Zierlein also wrote there were some concerns regarding Stona.

He pointed to the track athlete’s inexperience in the sport, as a point of concern as well as “stiffness in his lateral movements”.

“He ran and jumped well at his pro day but looked uneasy running and catching in drills. If he’s committed to making it, he might be worth prioritising as an undrafted free agent,” he wrote.

Stona has been enjoying a stellar season in discus along with his NFL aspirations. Last month, Stona became the third Jamaica to meet the qualifying mark for the Paris Olympic Games, when he threw a personal best distance of 69.05 metres at the Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational.