Louis Rees-Zammit makes good impression on NFL scouts at trials

Louis Rees-Zammit’s NFL career appears to be taking off after it was reported that he has met two sides recently as he waits to find out if he impressed them enough to seal a contract.

The ex-Wales and Gloucester flyer paid the New York Jets a visit on Friday while previously also spending time with the Cleveland Browns.

This, after the 23-year-old participated in rigorous testing as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) Pro Day trials on Wednesday in front of scouts with the hope of securing a position on a practice squad.

Prior to Wednesday’s testing, Rees-Zammit was training hard in Florida as part of an extensive 10-week preparation camp. There were reports that he was “disappointed” with his 40-yard dash time of 4.44 seconds, after previously completing that distance in a time of 4.3 seconds in training.

Scouts impressed by speed and footwork

However, his speed and footwork is said to have impressed the scouts in attendance from 31 of the NFL’s 32 teams – with no scouts there from the Los Angeles Rams.

It was also reported that, after the Pro Day, Rees-Zammit received offers from three unnamed NFL sides to join their summer training camp, with RugbyPass reporting that he received offers of a yearly salary in the region of US$900,000 (c.GBP703,900). Despite that claim, no official move has been announced yet.

Instead, the 2021 British & Irish Lions wing will be visiting NFL teams during the rest of the month, before returning to the UK on March 30. According to reports, Rees-Zammit will then extend his visa on April 2 and will then be able to head back to the United States if needed for any other visits or workouts.

The Browns appear to be the first team which the former Wales star visited as he trained with the AFC North outfit on Thursday. He shared a photo on his Instagram story of him at their training facility in Berea, after being in Florida the previous day.

It is still not known if the Browns and Jets offered Rees-Zammit a deal but it looks like he will be in demand in securing his services as there was plenty of interest in him during the Pro Day.

‘I have no regrets’ – Louis Rees-Zammit ahead of D-Day in fledgling NFL career

According to Tampa Bay Times journalist Matt Baker, who was in attendance at the trial day, and watched as the Welshman received a “grilling” from the scouts, Rees-Zammit “did not look like a rookie”.

“He was unfazed by a ball that’s skinnier than the one he used in his professional career overseas,” he wrote in his report. “He ran smoothly.

“His measurables were good enough. At 6ft 2in, 209 pounds, he’s about the same size as Bucs receiver Chris Godwin. His 40-yard dash was unofficially around 4.4 seconds — a tick slower than what he expected, but NFL-worthy. Judging by the crowd of scouts grilling him for more information afterward, he, at minimum, is an intriguing prospect.”

Rookie mini-camps are set to take place in May before every NFL side will hold pre-season training camps in July. With Rees-Zammit generating plenty of interest amongst the teams, it looks like he is set to join one of their practice squads, especially since NFL sides are allowed to carry an international player as the 17th member of that squad.

If that happens, Rees-Zammit will become eligible for three call-ups to the active roster.

Meanwhile, sports marketing expert Neil Hopkins, who is Global Head of Strategy at M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, feels Rees-Zammit has what it takes to make a positive impact in the NFL.

‘A few coaches will be pleasantly surprised’

“He certainly made a splash at Pro Day and I imagine there will be a few coaches around the league who were pleasantly surprised to see him performing so well,” he told WalesOnline. “They’ll know all about the top college prospects coming through into the NFL draft this year so to see someone coming out of left-field like Louis certainly gives them food for thought.

“I think if he makes the final cut onto an NFL regular season roster, it will be purely down to his own ability, performance and potential. NFL teams are obviously serious professional operations with an absolute focus on winning the Super Bowl so there is no room for passengers.

“Speaking as someone working on the commercial side of sport, I’d say he has all the ingredients that sponsors look for. He’s young, has huge potential and his performances on the pitch for Wales, such as at the World Cup, have been explosive. Now, this won’t translate to helping to get him a full NFL contract but, if he does, there is no doubt that he will be of interest to his team’s marketing and PR departments.

“Not only is he clearly a top-quality all-round athlete with experience of sport at the very highest level but he’s young enough to be able to learn and adapt to the dramatically different demands of the NFL.”

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