ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos have added a defensive lineman as part of NFL's International Player Pathway Program.

Defensive lineman Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi of Nigeria has been allocated to join the Broncos, the team announced Thursday.

Ndubuisi, a 6-foot-7, 323-pound player, previously competed with the Arizona Cardinals during the 2022 offseason as an offensive lineman.

The International Player Pathway Program was founded in 2017 and provides international athletes with an opportunity to earn a spot on an NFL roster. The NFL invited 13 prospects for two months of training at IMG Academy, and eight players were then assigned to teams in the AFC West or NFC North. The training at IMG Academy focused on football education and on-field preparation. The players then participated at the University of South Florida's pro day on March 29.

"This is … a dream come true and also a sign of hope that the best is yet to come," said Ndubuisi after he was informed he was being allocated to a team.

The 22-year-old Nigerian began playing football about five years ago, according to the BBC. He played soccer and basketball in Nigeria as a kid before discovering football on YouTube. Ndubuisi started to practice on his own before joining the UpRise Academy in Ghana in 2021. The academy, founded by former NFL player Osi Umenyiora and former professional basketball player Ejike Ugboaja, aims to help the NFL discover more talent in Africa.

Ndubuisi then attended an NFL camp in London, during which he was invited to the International Player Pathway Program.

Ndubuisi is eligible to join the Broncos for their rookie minicamp.

Under league protocols, Ndubuisi will not count against the Broncos' 90-player roster limit. The roster exemption will expire when the roster is trimmed to 53 players ahead of the regular season.