NRL prodigy Ben Te Kura identified as top NFL target amid Jordan Mailata’s Super Bowl heroics

Jordan Mailata’s decision to quit the NRL for American football paid off big time - now the NFL has their eyes on another Aussie.

On the back of Jordan Mailata becoming the first Aussie to play in and win a Super Bowl, one of the NRL’s hottest prospects has been identified as the next Australian who could take the NFL by storm.

After Mailata stole the show at offensive tackle, with his 168kg frame stopping Kansas City’s defence in its tracks, NFL scouts have been on the lookout for the next big thing down under and they have now set their sights on Ben Te Kura.

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Already competing with rival teams and the allure of rugby union, a new concern has emerged for NRL clubs – the big money and allure of the NFL.

Dwane Bugden, a contract adviser for the NFL Player’s Association, says he’s identified plenty of young players suited for a code switch but none of them stand out more than young Broncos powerhouse Ben Te Kura.

“I think he (Te Kura) would be perfectly suited to the NFL,” Bugden told SEN 1170 Mornings on Wednesday.

Pictured Jordan Mailata left and Ben Te Kura right.

“He’s 6 foot 8 so he’s a bit taller than Jordan (Mailata) but he’s athletic, he’s got that great arm span, fast feet, he’s intelligent and that’s what they look for… a kid like that.

“The NRL is a fast game and Jordan (Mailata) in the under 20s was a good player but… his size and the speed of that game would’ve made it super hard for him to get up and down and back and forth those 10 metres all game.”

Te Kura is 21 years old and is part of Brisbane’s top 30. He also has a deal until the end of 2027, meaning he will be 24 when his contract expires.

Standing at a massive 205cm, Te Kura is the tallest player in the NRL and would be in the top five tallest players in the NFL, with his frame ideal for a position on the offensive line of a gridiron team.

And after the NFL announced three games will be played in Melbourne in the next three years, Budgen believes more rugby league players will look to make the switch.

 “The NRL could possibly lose a lot of these younger guys because they love the American sports,” Bugden said.

“They are big and athletic, and I think the game suits them more than the NRL for some of those kids, and I think that’s what the NFL is here for.

“I think the game of NRL might lose those guys at an earlier age.”

The NFL currently has an international pathway program, providing elite athletes around the world opportunities to earn selection with an NFL team.

As well as Mailata, the likes of Valentine Holmes and Jarryd Hayne have also gone through the pathway program.

Mailata played junior rugby league for the Bulldogs before moving to the Rabbitohs in 2017 at the age of 19.

There Mailata had to come to terms with the fact he wasn’t likely to crack the Rabbitohs’ top 30 anytime soon after Souths lowballed him in 2018 when up for a new contract, he then decided to try his hand at making the NFL.

Ben Te Kura is a giant. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

The Aussie was originally taken as pick No. 233 in the 2018 draft by the Eagles on pure potential alone.

Standing 203cm and weighing 168kg, Mailata is a certified giant and therefore the Eagles decided to take a chance on the little-known Aussie.

And it turned out to be a genius move with Mailata considered by some as the best offensive tackle in the league.

So it’s no surprise Te Kura, who is even taller than Mailata is one NFL scouts have their eyes on.

Originally published as NRL prodigy Ben Te Kura identified as top NFL target amid Jordan Mailata’s Super Bowl heroics