Subscribe
Follow Us
Louis Rees-Zammit is one of the brightest young stars in the world of rugby, but his passion lies elsewhere. The rugby stud has a dream of playing in the NFL, and now, he has a chance to pursue that passion. The Philadelphia Eagles recently turned Jordan Mailata from a rugby player to an NFL player, so it might happen again. In this article, we will explain who Louis Rees-Zammit is and how he has a chance to make it in a new sport.
Who is Louis Rees-Zammit?
Louis Rees-Zammit was not just an up-and-coming star in the sport of rugby, but he was already an established star. Rees-Zammit was born in Wales and is currently 22 years old. He has played for Wales at the national level in rugby, and he plays for Gloucester in the English Premiership.
Despite being just 22 years of age, Rees-Zammit has already been dominant in his rugby competition. He has played on the wing and as a fullback, and he wins with speed. In fact, the rugby star was clocked running 24.2 miles per hour in a game. That is faster than Tyreek Hill's best mark and faster than any player in 2023. Hill's top speed is 23.24 miles per hour, so Rees-Zammit is nearly a mile per hour faster than the player widely regarded as the fastest man in the NFL.
Rees-Zammit won 31 test caps for Wales and scored 14 tries. In 2021, the rugby star became the youngest player since 1959 to be selected for the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa.
Even though his rugby legacy was only increasing, Rees-Zammit decided to stop playing the sport and pursue American football in the NFL on Jan. 16, 2024. Rees-Zammit's contract with Gloucester was up at the end of the season, and the team allowed him to be released early to pursue football.
Article Continues Below
“We understand the size of the opportunity before Zam and his lifelong ambition to play in the NFL,” Gloucester CEO Alex Brown said. “Whilst we are naturally said to see him leave, ultimately, we are not able to dissuade him from taking an opportunity of this magnitude with the NFL.”
NFL International Player Pathway Program
Rees-Zammit's success in his sport may make his decision to bolt for the NFL surprising to some, but it also makes tons of sense because of the opportunities the NFL has made for foreign athletes. The International Player Pathway Program (IPPP) was established by the NFL in 2017. It is a program that helps foreign players who didn't play high school or collegiate football in the United States to get a chance to join the talent pool in the NFL.
Players who are 24 years old or younger, who have been out of high school for at least four years, speak English, did not play American football in college, are not US or Canadian citizen, and can travel to the US for two months starting in March are eligible for the program.
Rees-Zammit fits this description, so he will be headed stateside with a chance to prove himself in front of NFL teams. NFL teams have the incentive to sign IPPP players, as they are allowed a bigger offseason roster if they do so. So far, the IPPP system has worked. Thirty-seven athletes have taken advantage of the IPPP since its creation in 2017, and a number of those players have stuck around on NFL rosters. Five of these players have been rugby athletes. Alex Gray, Jordan Mailata, Christian Scotland-Williamson, Valentine Holmes, and Christian Wade all played rugby prior to making the jump to American football with the IPPP. Mailata, in particular, has been one of the biggest success stories from the program, as he is currently a standout starter on the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now, Rees-Zammit will try to be the next rugby star to make it big time in the NFL. It is unknown what position he will play, but his speed will surely translate to the new sport. Many consider speed to be the most important trait in the NFL right now, and the offensive success of the Miami Dolphins this season would back that up. Miami had some of the fastest-clocked times this year.
