Brisbane Broncos wrecking ball Benjamin Te Kura has received the ultimate praise from an NFL agent who claims he has what it takes to join one of the most premier sporting franchises in the world.
He has drawn similarities to Jordan Mailata, with the Courier Mail revealing that Australian NFL agent Dwane Bugden has said he has what it takes to join the competition following an eight-week rigorous gridiron program on the Gold Coast.
Standing at 205cm and recorded as the NRL's tallest player, Te Kura has impressed Bugden, who says he could be better than the 29-year-old rugby league junior and Super Bowl winner.
“Ben Te Kura has got it,” Bugden said to the Courier Mail.
“He is absolutely good enough to play in the NFL.
“Athletically, he's every bit as good as Jordan Mailata, maybe even better.
“Jordan is a rare beast, but Ben is faster and moves better than Jordan did at the same stage of their development.
“What made Jordan special was his mindset, intelligence and ability to learn NFL playbooks and methods quickly.
“We don't know that yet with Ben, but he's also smart, intelligent and willing to learn.”
Te Kura went on temporary leave at the Broncos in April to chase his ambitions to compete in the NFL, with a promise that he could return to the club if it doesn't work out. If he progresses on his journey, he will remain absent from the Broncos.
Mailata was a South Sydney Rabbitohs junior, and after being offered a bottom-end deal in 2017, he backed himself in the gridiron code, where he was scouted by the Philadelphia Eagles a year later.
Now Mailata sits among some of the highest-paid Australian athletes in the world, and after securing a Super Bowl win in 2025, he was rewarded with a three-year extension worth $105 million.
Te Kura is currently contracted until the end of 2027 with the Broncos, and is on pennies compared to what he could make as a rookie in the NFL.
“There's been massive interest,” Bugden said.
“If he gets an opportunity, he would more than likely make a team.
“We've spoken to about 20 NFL teams and not one of them hasn't expressed interest.
“Ben's testing has gone really well and he has shown remarkable natural ability for someone who hasn't played the game.”
With Te Kura's raw size, power and strength catching the attention of NFL clubs, he has the potential to secure a berth in the code, which very few NRL converts have managed to achieve.
Jarryd Hayne and Valentine Holmes headline the list of NRL stars who departed the 13-man sport in their prime to chase the American dream, both later returning to Australia to play NRL.
Although Te Kura's timing of his Broncos release may have dimmed his chances of receiving a contract from a club.
“If the Broncos had released him in February last year, he would have signed an NFL contract. No doubt about it,” Bugden said.
“Every team we've shown his workout and video to has been immediately impressed.
“Usually scouts just glance at the phone and say, ‘Yeah, I can see something there'.
“But with him, they leaned in, took the phone out of my hand and had a real look. That happened over and over again.
“When teams found out that was the first time Ben had ever done these specific NFL drills, they were blown away. That's the potential he has.
“If Ben puts his mind to it and keeps working hard in the coming months, he will make it.”
Bugden has predicted Te Kura will need to continue plying his trade in the sport and a contract offer will surface early next year at the earliest, and insisted the NFL's Australian Academy will not rush into things without full preparation.
“He's definitely a tackle. He'll bulk up as well,” added Bugden.
“But he's such an athlete you could also play him as a tight end. He can catch, he can run.
“One team even thought he could become a defensive tackle because he's big, strong and can move. Ben realistically needs another 10 weeks of work, so we're not rushing this.
“The earliest I think he joins the NFL is probably next year, but who knows, it could be sooner.
“If we can get him proper positional training and good film over the next month, then send that vision back to NFL teams when they return (for pre-season), something could happen this year.
“Ben is a straight-up free agent. A team could sign him tomorrow if they wanted to.”
