The Lions are working out an International Pathways player with ties to the Lions coaching staff

The Detroit Lions have not found their International Pathways player yet, but that might not be the case for too much longer as they are holding a tryout for a player from London, England at their rookie mini-camp this week. The cool thing is that player has ties to the Lions coaching staff already. 

Safety Ayo Oyelola spent last season and the 2022 training camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars as their International pathways player. He was coached there by new Lions defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend. There must have been something there that Townsend liked. Now he's getting a shot to play in Detroit. 

The former standout at Nottingham University has been trying to make it in the pros for a while now. He was an IPP player in the class of 2021. He didn't make it that year, so he played in the CFL. In 2022 he was invited to the Jaguars camp, but was cut before the season. 

In 2023 the NFL added a 17th spot to team's practice squads that's just for International Pathways players. Oyelola made the Jags practice squad under that new rule, but never played in a regular season game. 

The Lions is the best spot for him to continue to work with Townsend and continue his development in the American game with the coach that's been coaching him the whole time. We'll see if he makes it past his tryout at rookie mini camp.