TAMPA, Fla.: Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit was dripping sweat and nonetheless catching his breath after ending up receiving drills when a number of NFL scouts approached him on the University of South Florida’s professional day.
“Do you have an agent?”
“Have you ever been injured?”
“Did you take the Wonderlic?”
“Are you doing this for yourself or your family?”
Rees-Zammit politely answered each query earlier than heading off to take a number of extra from reporters.
Rees-Zammit shocked rugby followers when he introduced in January that he was leaving the Welsh nationwide group to pursue a dream of enjoying within the NFL. The gifted 23-yr-outdated, among the best wingers in rugby, now was the focus on a soccer subject as a substitute of a pitch.
“It’s always been on my mind,” Rees-Zammit mentioned Wednesday. “My dad has been a massive role model to me because he brought me up loving the sport. He played the sport when he was younger so it’s quite easy to love the game because I’ve been watching it from such a young age. So, it’s always been in the back of my head, but it’s just amazing to finally do it now.”
Rees-Zammit, whose favourite NFL participant rising up was three-time Pro Bowl extensive receiver DeSean Jackson, is one in all 15 athletes from eight nations taking part within the NFL International Player Pathway program. It was established in 2017 to offer elite athletes from world wide the chance to earn a spot on an NFL roster and enhance the variety of worldwide gamers within the league.
The prospects spend 10 weeks coaching at IMG Academy in Bradenton, getting a crash course in practising the basics of soccer and studying the intricacies of a sport most have by no means performed.
They acquired an opportunity to showcase their expertise at USF’s professional day in entrance of 51 scouts representing 31 groups — solely the Rams weren’t represented.
All eyes have been on Rees-Zammit when he lined as much as run the 40-yard sprint. Everyone wished to see how briskly “Rees-Lightning” may run beneath the strain of stopwatches however he solely clocked a 4.5 on his first attempt. He improved to an official time of 4.43 on his second run.
“A bit disappointed in my 40,” Rees-Zammit mentioned afterward. “Last week, I was getting some really good times. I was getting low 4.3s, high 4.2s. So it is what it is. It’s just what happens on the day. But I know I can run that fast. I’m not trying to make excuses or anything, but I know what I can do and I’m happy with the day and how the day went.”
Rees-Zammit is making an attempt out as a operating again/extensive receiver/returner. He displayed good palms and was fast out and in of his routes. He’s uncooked however his potential is apparent. On Friday, the league introduced Rees-Zammit will go to the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets, with extra groups to return.
“I’m pretty happy with how I ran my routes, just about how fluid I could be, how I could show off my change of direction, how I can get in and out of breaks,” he mentioned. “I think there are a lot of transferable skills. In rugby, you’re always trying to get your hands on the ball as much as often and you’re always trying to break defenses, look for spaces, be aware.
“Catching kickoffs, catch and kick receipts, punt receipts, there’s a lot of transferable skills, and I think running back shows up probably best, getting the ball in my hand early, being able to pick a gap, being able to be aware of the surroundings.”
Since the NFL started this program, 37 worldwide gamers have signed with groups and 18 are at the moment on rosters. Five gamers — Jordan Mailata, Jakob Johnson, Efe Obada, Sammis Reyes and David Bada — have been on energetic rosters.
Mailata, a former Australian rugby participant, is the star of this system. Selected by the Philadelphia Eagles within the seventh spherical of the 2018 draft, the 6-foot-8, 365-pound Mailata grew to become the group’s beginning left deal with in 2020 and has developed into among the best gamers at his place.
For the primary time this season, every group can have a seventeenth roster spot on the observe squad particularly out there for a world participant. Teams are also permitted to raise a world observe squad participant to the energetic roster a most of 3 times all through the season — rising alternatives for gamers to develop and get an opportunity to play.
Teams can even obtain one coaching camp roster exemption for a qualifying worldwide participant.
Rees-Zammit, Nigerian extensive receiver Praise Olatoke and English offensive lineman Travis Clayton are among the many prime prospects. All 16 athletes have potential. It comes all the way down to mastering a brand new craft and impressing scouts.
Bayron Matos, a 6-foot-8, 313-pound offensive lineman from the Dominican Republic, has extra expertise than most. He briefly performed for USF’s soccer group within the spring in 2022 and likewise performed basketball at New Mexico and USF.
“I’ve been working really hard to get to the next level,” Matos mentioned. “It’s a fast game. Not everybody can play football. It’s a big boy sport.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
