| No. 54 – New York Jets | |
|---|---|
| Position | Defensive end |
| Roster status | Active |
| Personal information | |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career history | |
| |
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
| Born | (2002-03-19)19 March 2002 (age 23)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 94 kg (207 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Grey College | ||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Stellenbosch University | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Paschal Hans Uzoma Ekeji is a Lesotho-bornAmerican footballdefensive end of Nigerian descent for theNew York Jets of theNational Football League (NFL) as a member of the Formerly part of theInternational Player Pathway program. He is a formerrugby union footballer who played as a winger forSharks XV in South Africa.
He is originally from Nigeria but grew up in Bloemfontein and played forGrey College and played rugby union forFree State in theCraven Week. He then attendedStellenbosch University.[4][5]
He was recruited byWestern Province in 2020.[6] He played for Western Province U20 in the U20 Cup in the 2021-22 season.[7] That season, he also featured the senior Western Province side in theToyota Challenge.[8] He went on to make his senior debut in the2022 Currie Cup Premier Division for Western Province, making his debut againstLions in January 2022.[4][9] However, his progress was halted by a knee ligament injury which ruled him out of action for a year.[10]
In June 2022, he attended the firstNFL Africa Camp inAccra, Ghana. He was described as a "6-foot-4, 210 pounds" and a potentialwide receiver who "looked the part in every way…the size, [he] was smooth in and out of his breaks and…very coachable".[11] In December 2024, he was announced as joining theNFL'sInternational Player Pathway scheme.[12][13][14]
Having failed to secure an NFL contract, Ekeji returned to rugby, signing with theSharks ahead of the2025 Currie Cup Premier Division.[15] Ekeji made his debut for the Sharks in the fourth round, againstGriquas.[16]
On November 27, 2025, Ekeji signed with theNew York Jets' practice squad as a defensive end.[17] He signed a reserve/future contract with New York on January 5, 2026.[18]
His younger brother Pretorius Ekeji is also a rugby union player.[4]. Ekeji has the citizenships ofLesotho, Nigeria, andSouth Africa.[19]