The European League of Football once again serves as a potential stepping stone into the best league in the world. The National Football League officially announced on Thursday (27th February) that, after offensive tackle Leander Wiegand from the Munich Ravens, two more ELF players have been accepted into the International Player Pathway program (IPPP) for the 2025 season: punter Bastian Roppelt from Frankfurt Galaxy and kicker Lenny Krieg from Stuttgart Surge.

“This is great news for the players, their franchises and, of course, for the league as a whole. The fact that three guys have been given the opportunity to recommend themselves for an NFL contract after a strong season in the ELF is a great sign that we have taken another huge step forward in terms of quality and are also being recognized in North America,” says Patrick Esume, Commissioner of the European League of Football.

Leander Wiegand has been part of the IPP Class 2025 since December, and this week Bastian Roppelt and Lenny Krieg also traveled to the USA to train with the coaching staff at the IMG Academy in Bradenton (Florida). The trio want to use their opportunity at the Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis to impress the general managers and coaches of the 32 NFL teams.

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NFL IPP: The major opportunity to make a name for yourself

Founded in 2017, the IPP program is designed to give international players the opportunity to compete at NFL level, improve their skills and ultimately secure a spot on an NFL roster. In 2024, the IPP was expanded to include “Specialists” for the first time. It is part of a long-term commitment by the NFL and its 32 franchises to support efforts to develop football globally.

The goal of the Scouting Combine is to provide NFL teams with a detailed assessment of the physical and mental performance of potential draft candidates. To this end, the players complete a series of tests and exercises that analyze their strengths and weaknesses in various areas.

Roppelt, Krieg and Wiegand are not the first ELF stars to try to recommend themselves via the IPP. In 2022, Adedayo Odeleye (formerly Thunder, now Baltimore Ravens) and Marcel Dabo (formerly Surge, now Indianapolis Colts) made their way into the NFL via the prestigious program.