If the first time Christian Wade ever touched the ball in an official football game is a harbinger of what's to come, the Buffalo Bills will have unearthed the most productive player in the history of the sport.

Wade, a former rugby star in England who had never played in a football game before his team's preseason opener on Thursday night, scored a 65-yard touchdown on the first touch of his career, cutting back right after taking a handoff going left and racing past the Indianapolis Colts defenders en route to the end zone.

Not a bad start.

Wade was allocated to the Bills in April as part of the NFL's International Player Pathway Program, which provides elite international athletes with access to the NFL. He made the decision to pursue his football dreams last October, ending a decorated 10-year career with the London Wasps and England's national program.

“I reached a stage in my career where I felt like I kind of reached a point where it was just time for me to explore other options,” Wade told team reporter Nate Mendelson in June. “I was looking at going abroad in the southern hemisphere or throughout Europe but the opportunity with the NFL I couldn’t let go.”

At 5-foot-9, 196 pounds, Wade is best known overseas for his speed, agility, and field vision, attributes he put on full display during first ever appearance on the gridiron.

Obviously, he has a long way to go toward grasping the nuances of the sport at its highest level. But if Wade, 28, can pick up the mental aspect of the NFL game at an accelerated pace, it certainly seems like he has the tools to play in the league – based on his first carry, at least.