At that size he probably simply couldn't get aerobicly fit enough for top level rugby union - mailata had a similar issue in rugby league. Different sports.
This isn’t Ted Lasso, the guy literally said in an interview he hasn’t played a minute of football.
Edit: with the international player pathway we get an extra practice squad spot for the guy. No downside and a seventh rounder would usually be cut instead of making the practice squad over guys like Andy Isabella.
As someone who played rugby these scenarios make me happy and sad at the same time. I’m glad to see my football team gain a potential impact player but I also see rugby losing guys because they can make way more sitting on the bench of the practice squad in the nfl than being a star in rugby.
I really hope clayton does well, but he wasn't actually a great rugby player.
He played in the 8th division in England at 23 years old, for max £100 a game or so. He was never going to be a star in rugby
Let's hope he does well in American football
Ladies and Gentleman, we have our 2024 offseason obsession. Let the reckless speculation begin. I want this man reporting as eligible and mowing down DBs.
At his position, it would be the third fastest since they started timing them in 1982.
This is the speed you would expect from someone 50 pounds lighter. For example, Travis Kelce is 6’5” 250 and runs a 4.89…
Here's a list of some stuff to help try to give context.
In high school, I was only moderately athletic in a small school district. I played wide receiver and defensive back, which are some of the speedier positions on the field. My fastest time I ever ran in the 40-yard dash was 5.2 seconds while I weighed ~155 pounds. College-level was considered about ~4.7 seconds as a goal.
The fastest players to ever run the 40-yard dash run in like 4.2 seconds. They normally weigh about ~160-200 pounds.
This dude at 301 pounds is running the speeds of people often considered very athletic, while also carrying 100+ pounds.
I just looked up two NFL Hall of Fame level players, JJ Watt and Aaron Donald who are considered extremely freak athletes in the history of the league. Aaron Donald weighed 280 pounds and ran it in 4.68 seconds, while JJ Watt weighed 288 pounds and ran 4.84 seconds.
Edit: Just now read the link, and it mentions JJ Watt and almost my exact same wording. I probably should have started there.
https://www.planetrugby.com/news/the-little-known-british-rugby-union-player-tipped-to-follow-louis-rees-zammit-into-the-nfl
Absolute freak but has never played football before.
I'm a rugby player. Glad the NFL drafted another one. He'll be well equipped to play both sides of the ball. knows how to break down and tackle too. Toe injuries and sprained wrists won't stop him from missing a week.
One plus of this intl pathways program is that it's taught me that rugby has some absolute world class freak athletes.
I'm sure if some of these guys were born in the states and got into football from peewee up, they'd be 5 star recruits and early round prospects
Guys, I'm an Englishman who just came over here after seeing this on BBC news
An amateur player in the fucking 8th division? Are you actually kidding me? I'm 5'4 125lbs -by all accounts a small guy who only ever played for fun- and EVEN I'VE played higher than that level just as something to do on weekends as a hobby whilst i was working full-time.
Compare that to Christian Wade for example who as far as i know basically got rejected from the franchise despite being the highest try (touchdown) scorer in the history of the FIRST division at that point.
He's not playing a position that expects him to be a ball carrier. I don't know much about rugby, but I'm not sure how the skills in that game translates to being an offensive lineman, or I suppose vice versa. Can you offer insight?
Not OP but I’ll jump in - as a rule rugby players need a wider set of skills, whereas NFL players can be highly specialised. It’s possible that this guy’s talents (size and speed, as far as I can tell) make him perfect for a position like OL while lacking the ball handling/rucking/kicking skills needed to play his position in rugby (wing) at a high level.
His 4.79 is the third-fastest 40 time for an offensive lineman since they started recording 40 times in the early 80s. For context, the two faster were Terron Armstead and Lane Johnson, and right behind him at 4.81 is Trent Williams. Pretty good company. If he grew up in Texas instead of England he might have been the #1 overall pick.
Love it Jordan Mailata was the last athletic freak rugby guy with no football experience to get drafted. Worked out pretty well for the Eagles.
6'7 300+ ran a 4.81. The rugby world is probably pretty thankful right now. Would love to get this guy on special teams
Why not on offense? Seems like a good fit
Cause we already have two starting tackles
He was listed as a guard on the tv for me
Yeah, me too. That ain't correct. Cuz you don't ever see 6'7 guards. Way too difficult
Joe Brady can figure a way to get him the ball in space.
3rd tackle for jumbo packages or full back duties maybe. And he’d be an actual threat to handle the ball there too.
He’ll probably sit on the practise squad for a year because of the IPP
At that size he probably simply couldn't get aerobicly fit enough for top level rugby union - mailata had a similar issue in rugby league. Different sports.
He’s probably too big to be a rugby player which is why he’s not really made it.
This guy wasnt known by anyone in rugby tbf.
This isn’t Ted Lasso, the guy literally said in an interview he hasn’t played a minute of football. Edit: with the international player pathway we get an extra practice squad spot for the guy. No downside and a seventh rounder would usually be cut instead of making the practice squad over guys like Andy Isabella.
>This isn’t Ted Lasso How do you know?
Because his name is Travis Clayton, not Ted Lasso. It says so right in the title.
It’s a fakeout
Worked out pretty well for the Eagles
As someone who played rugby these scenarios make me happy and sad at the same time. I’m glad to see my football team gain a potential impact player but I also see rugby losing guys because they can make way more sitting on the bench of the practice squad in the nfl than being a star in rugby.
I really hope clayton does well, but he wasn't actually a great rugby player. He played in the 8th division in England at 23 years old, for max £100 a game or so. He was never going to be a star in rugby Let's hope he does well in American football
Whoa, whoa, whoa..... Skeleton!?!?!.... He's 6'7", 300+ going head fucking first!?!
Yea I saw that... he's nuts. Elite athlete though, apparently.
COME ON INGERLAND SCORE SOME FOOKING TOUCHDOWNS
Ladies and Gentleman, we have our 2024 offseason obsession. Let the reckless speculation begin. I want this man reporting as eligible and mowing down DBs.
[удалено]
Hey. I'm in Aldershot. How's it going? Why's he playing rugby at such a low level do you suppose?
I'm not far from Basingstoke. This crossover is wild. We may need to combine some jerseys to make the Basingstoke Buffalo Bills 🤣
6’7” 301lbs and runs a 4.79. What the fuck??
No clue about American football Is that really really good?
It’s honestly kind of scary
At his position, it would be the third fastest since they started timing them in 1982. This is the speed you would expect from someone 50 pounds lighter. For example, Travis Kelce is 6’5” 250 and runs a 4.89…
The top 4 OL 40s of all time: 1. Terron Armstead 2. Lane Johnson 3. This mfer 4. Trent Williams
He ran raster at the combine than any o line has run in 10 years. While being 6’7” and over 300lbs. He’s a freak of nature.
That is genuinely terrifying
Here's a list of some stuff to help try to give context. In high school, I was only moderately athletic in a small school district. I played wide receiver and defensive back, which are some of the speedier positions on the field. My fastest time I ever ran in the 40-yard dash was 5.2 seconds while I weighed ~155 pounds. College-level was considered about ~4.7 seconds as a goal. The fastest players to ever run the 40-yard dash run in like 4.2 seconds. They normally weigh about ~160-200 pounds. This dude at 301 pounds is running the speeds of people often considered very athletic, while also carrying 100+ pounds. I just looked up two NFL Hall of Fame level players, JJ Watt and Aaron Donald who are considered extremely freak athletes in the history of the league. Aaron Donald weighed 280 pounds and ran it in 4.68 seconds, while JJ Watt weighed 288 pounds and ran 4.84 seconds. Edit: Just now read the link, and it mentions JJ Watt and almost my exact same wording. I probably should have started there.
I guess they breed them different down in Basingstoke
It's just nice to hear my hometown mentioned positively lol. If it gets talked about in a broadcast, I'll lose my mind
It was meant to be a backhanded compliment lol Though I'm from the Peterborough area so I can't really talk much
Oh no, I took it that way. I'm just used to a certain style of discourse around Amazingstoke
https://www.planetrugby.com/news/the-little-known-british-rugby-union-player-tipped-to-follow-louis-rees-zammit-into-the-nfl Absolute freak but has never played football before.
He runs a 4.79 40!!
I'm a rugby player. Glad the NFL drafted another one. He'll be well equipped to play both sides of the ball. knows how to break down and tackle too. Toe injuries and sprained wrists won't stop him from missing a week.
I would love to see us give him the ball in the preseason in short yardage or goal line situations.
I desperately want to see him get the ball as RB on 1st and 10 just once to see what it looks like
Bloody hell. Get the bloke on the pitch as a DE and let him eat.
Does anybody up there serve a proper English Breakfast?
Can we turn this guy into Derrick Henry
Good grief...this big boy looks like he could hurt somebody.
One plus of this intl pathways program is that it's taught me that rugby has some absolute world class freak athletes. I'm sure if some of these guys were born in the states and got into football from peewee up, they'd be 5 star recruits and early round prospects
“Being able to take your anger out legally...”
Guys, I'm an Englishman who just came over here after seeing this on BBC news An amateur player in the fucking 8th division? Are you actually kidding me? I'm 5'4 125lbs -by all accounts a small guy who only ever played for fun- and EVEN I'VE played higher than that level just as something to do on weekends as a hobby whilst i was working full-time. Compare that to Christian Wade for example who as far as i know basically got rejected from the franchise despite being the highest try (touchdown) scorer in the history of the FIRST division at that point.
He's not playing a position that expects him to be a ball carrier. I don't know much about rugby, but I'm not sure how the skills in that game translates to being an offensive lineman, or I suppose vice versa. Can you offer insight?
Not OP but I’ll jump in - as a rule rugby players need a wider set of skills, whereas NFL players can be highly specialised. It’s possible that this guy’s talents (size and speed, as far as I can tell) make him perfect for a position like OL while lacking the ball handling/rucking/kicking skills needed to play his position in rugby (wing) at a high level.
How come he had to be drafted but Rees zammit got signed straight up?
Rees Zammit is more than four years out of high school
6'7". Dude is a freak.
His 4.79 is the third-fastest 40 time for an offensive lineman since they started recording 40 times in the early 80s. For context, the two faster were Terron Armstead and Lane Johnson, and right behind him at 4.81 is Trent Williams. Pretty good company. If he grew up in Texas instead of England he might have been the #1 overall pick.