The Ottawa Redblacks have signed former NFL defensive lineman Stansly Maponga.
Maponga was selected in the fifth round, 153rd overall in the 2013 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. In his NFL career, Maponga recorded eight tackles one sack, and recovered two fumbles.
The six-foot-two, 257-pound Maponga played in 24 career games with the Falcons — 12 each in 2013 and 2014 — before being signed to Atlanta’s practice roster prior to the start of the 2015 season. He was signed by the New York Giants in December of that year and played two games. The Texas Christian University product spent the 2016 season on the Giants practice squad.
Maponga started 34 of 36 career games at TCU, recording 113 total tackles, 63 solo with 23 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and knocked down. As a senior in 2012, he was selected to the All-Big 12 first-team. That came a year after he helped lead the Horned Frogs to the 2011 Rose Bowl.
Maponga was born in Zimbabwe and grew up playing rugby until coming to the United States as a nine-year-old. After moving to Carrollton, Texas, he became the District 6-5A Defensive Player of the Year as a senior at Hebron High School.
