Nathaniel Salmon College Football Eligibility NFL New Zealand Pro Basketball
Los Angeles Chargers / National Basketball League 1
Nathaniel Salmon is going to play college football because he technically did not play in the NFL. However, the soon-to-be 22-year-old freshman already went through an individual Pro Day with the international pathway program and tried out for the Los Angeles Chargers.
He is just the latest example of the increasingly blurred lines for “amateur” athletics.
A former professional basketball player who worked out for an NFL organization will begin his college football career at the same age most people graduate. Multiple high-profile suitors have already showed their interest.
Who is Nathaniel Salmon?
Born Feb. 12, 2004, Salmon hails from Prirua, New Zealand. He stands 6-foot-6, 270 pounds.
Salmon grew up in a big basketball family. All four of his siblings played at a college or national level and he also went pro at a young age.
The 21-year-old started playing professional basketball at the age of 17 in New Zealand with the Manawatu Jets and the 3X3 affiliate of the Wellington Saints. His career also took him to Australia with the North Gold Coast Seahawks, where he averaged 15.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in 15 games.
And then the NFL took notice.
The National Football League invited Nathaniel Salmon to the American football academy in Gold Coast. Scouts were impressed by his athleticism even though he had never picked up a football before. That earned him a spot with the NFL’s International Player Pathway program. He started to train as a tight end and spent 10 weeks at IMG Academy earlier this year to work on his craft.
IPP Route Running @IMGAcademy pic.twitter.com/W7UMchfZ1l
— Nathaniel Salmon (@natesalmon__) October 9, 2025
The Los Angeles Chargers took notice of Salmon at the IPP Pro Day and invited him out for minicamp.
They ultimately chose not to sign him to the roster.
Nathaniel Salmon played three years of professional basketball. That does not count toward his college football eligibility in any way, shape, or form.
It is the participation at minicamp that makes it weird.
Salmon returned home to New Zealand after the Chargers decided to pass, at which point a coach suggest he should pursue opportunities to play college football. He was officially cleared by the NCAA to play four years of Division-I college football at the beginning of October.
His clearance likely stems from the fact that he never actually signed an official contract with an NFL roster. Minicamp players typically receive a weekly stipend to cover expenses like travel, housing, etc.
Unlike the recent influx of G-League level hoopers who are now returning to college, Nathaniel Salmon technically did not play professional football. It was never official.
The NCAA decided to clear him for competition as a result of his limited experience. Utah, Arizona State, Baylor, West Virginia and Arizona have already offered him a scholarship in the recruiting Class of 2026 as a true freshman who will turn 22 years old within a month of being on campus.
Grayson Weir BroBible editor avatar