Louis Rees-Zammit, one of the leading wingers in world rugby, will sign with the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, according to multiple reports.
Rees-Zammit, 22, has spent the last two months training in the NFL’s International Player Pathway program, an initiative launched in 2017 to recruit athletes from around the world and increase the number of international players in the league.
He completed his pro day last week, running a reported 4.43 seconds in the 40 yard dash, and at 6-foot-3, 194 pounds, projects as a running back/wide receiver in the mould of Cordarrelle Patterson.
However, Rees-Zammit expressed frustration with his performance after the workout, saying that he had run times in the 4.20s during training. He was nicknamed “Rees-Lightning” during his rugby career.
Rees-Zammit has left behind a successful rugby career (David Rogers/Getty Images)
After completing his pro day in front of scouts from 31 NFL teams, Rees-Zammit visited the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos, as well as the Chiefs.
The Chiefs have won three of the past four Super Bowls, including last season’s, and boast two of the league’s best players in quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight-end Travis Kelce, alongside future Hall of Fame coach Andy Reid.
The announcement of his transition away from rugby was the biggest coup for the program since its launch. While previous rugby union players to attempt the transition — such as Christian Wade, Alex Gray, and Christian Scotland-Williamson — have not been international players, Rees-Zammit was a star player for Wales. In 2021, he was named to the British & Irish Lions squad — a combined side made up of players from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, considered one of the greatest honors in the sport.
He perhaps most closely compares to Valentine Holmes, who was one of the best wingers in rugby league at the time of his move to the NFL in 2019. Holmes spent just one season on the practice squad of the New York Jets.
The difference here is Rees-Zammit’s youth compared to other rugby players who have attempted the move. At just 22 years old, he has time to adapt to the specificities of American football.
What is the NFL’s International Player Pathway program?
As mentioned above, the program launched in 2017 to provide international athletes a route to the NFL.
One NFL division is selected at random to participate in the program each year, according to the NFL. The four teams in that division are allowed an extra roster spot in the offseason for an IPP player.
IPP players can be signed to the 53-man roster or waived after training camp, and are eligible to join a team’s practice squad via an exemption if they clear waivers.
Philadelphia Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata, who grew up playing rugby in Australia, is arguably the most well-known IPP alumnus. Mailata, who was 21 years old when the Eagles drafted him in 2018, has started 57 games over the last four seasons.
Las Vegas Raiders fullback Jakob Johnson (Germany) and Washington Commanders linebacker Efe Obada (Nigeria) also participated in the IPP program.
(David Rogers/Getty Images)
