Detroit Lions Sign Former Saint Siposs
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The NFL Draft was held the last weekend of April and another former Aussie Rules player has been signed as a punter. Ex-Saint Arryn Siposs, who has been playing with the University of Auburn in Alabama for the past several years, missed out on being drafted. However, the Detroit Lions signed him as a free agent.
Siposs, 27, played 26 games for the Saints 2011 to 2015. He was plagued by injuries in that time, including three shoulder reconstructions in his last two seasons. He was delisted at the end of 2015. He went on to join ProKick Australia, a specialist academy founded in 2007 by former AFL player Nathan Chapman.
Chapman himself tried out for the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears after his 76 game career with the Brisbane Bears/Lions and Hawthorn ended in 2000. He returned to Australia after his NFL aspirations ended and, in 2007, founded ProKick Australia to train others in the art of NFL punting. It also serves as a platform for possible scholarships to American colleges.
Siposs was in his junior year with Auburn when he declared for the NFL Draft in January of this year. The New York Jets (who previously had former Cat star Ben Graham on their list), Atlanta Falcons and Detroit all showed interest in Siposs. Even though the Lions have signed Siposs, he still has to prove himself to remain on the list as the club could cut him before the next NFL season starts (whenever that happens).
Sources: 7news.com.au, nytimes.com, AFL Record Season Guides