LRZ

[Margin__Walker]

The latest rugby player to piss about trying to get a game in the NFL.

[inactionman]

The latest rugby player to piss about trying to get a game in the NFL.

Didn't see that coming.

Although he might do better in a game where he doesn't have to catch or tackle.

[Margin__Walker]

The latest rugby player to piss about trying to get a game in the NFL.

Didn't see that coming.

Although he might do better in a game where he doesn't have to catch or tackle.

I can't actually see a position he'd play where he doesn't have to either catch or tackle

[Uncle fester]

Assumed it was a pisstake at first.

[inactionman]

The latest rugby player to piss about trying to get a game in the NFL.

Didn't see that coming.

Although he might do better in a game where he doesn't have to catch or tackle.

I can't actually see a position he'd play where he doesn't have to either catch or tackle

Can't believe he'd be a receiver, maybe a running back? Assume he'd be of interest due to his speed, not his defence.

(that exhausts my knowledge of American Football positions btw - except Tight End which I only recollect as it makes me laugh, I've no idea what it actually is)

[Margin__Walker]

I'm no expert, but he'd surely get melted as a RB.

[inactionman]

I'm no expert, but he'd surely get melted as a RB.

I'd think he'd get smashed no matter where he played.

[Uncle fester]

Way too light for anything other than wide receiver or corner back.

[Jock42]

How does the player pathway work? Assuming he's not been signed by anyone yet, is there some sort of sponsorship from a particular team though?

[Big D]

Way too light for anything other than wide receiver or corner back.

He's definitely a wide receiver (if he makes it).

[Big D]

How does the player pathway work? Assuming he's not been signed by anyone yet, is there some sort of sponsorship from a particular team though?

https://operations.nfl.com/journey-to-t ... L%20roster.

Fair play to him for giving it a go.

[Slick]

Just when you thought Welsh rugby couldn’t get any lower their star player fucks off to play a different sport in a different country before the 6N!

[I like neeps]

Way too light for anything other than wide receiver or corner back.

He's definitely a wide receiver (if he makes it).

Absolutely no chance he makes it as a receiver. Release packages, route trees, reading coverage, hand usage etc. Won't learn it in a year.

[laurent]

He is not that good anyway

[JM2K6]

Much like Christian Wade, a great opportunity to pick up a decent amount of money and take a lot of supplements without anything as gauche as appearing in competitive matches or getting drug tested

[sockwithaticket]

IIRC Christian Wade made the Bills practice squad for 3 consecutive seasons, but didn't actually play any games. However, the money earnt just from being among the lowest paid in an NFL team would be comparable to rugby wages. From what I could find out with a quick google, in 2023 the weekly wage for a rookie practice squad member, which is different to a full squad member, during the season is $12k per week. The regular season is 18 weeks. Before that they will also have had a few weeks of pre-season, though payments for that are significantly lower and amount ot less than a week of regular season salary.

So that'd be about $220k (£170k) for 22-24 weeks of work. A shorter season than rugby for sure and still decent money. I can see why it would tempt some.

[PornDog]

Way too light for anything other than wide receiver or corner back.

He's definitely a wide receiver (if he makes it).

Absolutely no chance he makes it as a receiver. Release packages, route trees, reading coverage, hand usage etc. Won't learn it in a year.

Punt returner is pretty much the only possible way in.

[duke]

Much like Christian Wade, a great opportunity to pick up a decent amount of money and take a lot of supplements without anything as gauche as appearing in competitive matches or getting drug tested

Last seen at the Rec on Sunday as a travelling reserve for Racing

[I like neeps]

IIRC Christian Wade made the Bills practice squad for 3 consecutive seasons, but didn't actually play any games. However, the money earnt just from being among the lowest paid in an NFL team would be comparable to rugby wages. From what I could find out with a quick google, in 2023 the weekly wage for a rookie practice squad member, which is different to a full squad member, during the season is $12k per week. The regular season is 18 weeks. Before that they will also have had a few weeks of pre-season, though payments for that are significantly lower and amount ot less than a week of regular season salary.

So that'd be about $220k (£170k) for 22-24 weeks of work. A shorter season than rugby for sure and still decent money. I can see why it would tempt some.

It's 52 weeks of work, he'll need to change his entire body composition.

[SaintK]

He stands less than zero chance of making it. Who the hell is advising him?
Gatland won't be best pleased though Skivington is probably happy that it has freed up some headroom in the salary cap!!!

[dpedin]

Good luck to the lad but he has zero chance of making it over there, grab the money and a bit of time out from rugby?

[Big D]

Way too light for anything other than wide receiver or corner back.

He's definitely a wide receiver (if he makes it).

Absolutely no chance he makes it as a receiver. Release packages, route trees, reading coverage, hand usage etc. Won't learn it in a year.

Can try and make it work through specific schemed plays if he shows enough, like a diet supermarket chain version of Deebo Samuel. Kick returner and notionally WR is the most likely option.

He isn't a tight end, as he'd have to learn to block and receive and at running back he'd have to run in heavy traffic and learn to block and he is unusually tall and lean for the position. Other tall RBs such as Henry carry a lot more bulk than LRZ does.

He can't play defence.

[Big D]

He stands less than zero chance of making it. Who the hell is advising him?
Gatland won't be best pleased though Skivington is probably happy that it has freed up some headroom in the salary cap!!!

Why not give it ago? 22 years old, four years until the next and a chance for a new experience.

[ASMO]

Special teams kick returner is his best bet

[Hal Jordan]

Just when you thought Welsh rugby couldn’t get any lower their star player fucks off to play a different sport in a different country before the 6N!

Makes a change from the old days when League hoovered up all the Welsh talent.

[Biffer]

Got told this by some of the Glaws fans on Saturday. Could make it as a WR, but a huge amount to learn both in terms of what you actually do and then the physical techniques of hand fighting etc that are integral to the position. Given he doesn't really look to have put in the work to improve his defence, I doubt he'll make it.

[Big D]

The reality is any of the positions are going to be bloody hard. There are very few specialist kick returner who only returns kicks without having to pick up some snaps at a position on offence or defence. Even Jarryd Hayne played snaps as a RB.

It will be tough, nearly impossible even. But good for him to have a go.

Mialata went over at a similar age and was drafted in th 7th round with doubts over him. That contract alone was worth 2.5million over 4 years. He now plays one of the key positions on a team so it can be done.

[Biffer]

The reality is any of the positions are going to be bloody hard. There are very few specialist kick returner who only returns kicks without having to pick up some snaps at a position on offence or defence. Even Jarryd Hayne played snaps as a RB.

It will be tough, nearly impossible even. But good for him to have a go.

Mialata went over at a similar age and was drafted in th 7th round with doubts over him. That contract alone was worth 2.5million over 4 years. He now plays one of the key positions on a team so it can be done.

Yeah, no one is on the squad just to return kickoffs or punts.

[Waudbee]

OK, bye then. Very unexpected and odd move.

[Big D]

Thinking about it more, if we worked in sectors with companies going burst, and we had potentially transferable skills then we'd consider moving to another field. Not sure why sportspeople should be any different.

[Blackmac]

Way too light for anything other than wide receiver or corner back.

He's definitely a wide receiver (if he makes it).

He's not exactly great under a rugby ball falling from the sky, he has zero chance of catching an American football spiralling over his head.

[Jim Lahey]

Good luck to him.
Big ask to convert and be successful at his age but fair play to giving it a crack.

As mentioned above, getting away from the English prem is probably a good idea financially, before it hits the next iceberg.

[Blackmac]

Special teams kick returner is his best bet

Agreed.

[Blackmac]

Let's face it, he is young and not exactly giving up the sport. He will give it a lash for a few months and come back.

[Hal Jordan]

The reality is any of the positions are going to be bloody hard. There are very few specialist kick returner who only returns kicks without having to pick up some snaps at a position on offence or defence. Even Jarryd Hayne played snaps as a RB.

It will be tough, nearly impossible even. But good for him to have a go.

Mialata went over at a similar age and was drafted in th 7th round with doubts over him. That contract alone was worth 2.5million over 4 years. He now plays one of the key positions on a team so it can be done.

Yeah, no one is on the squad just to return kickoffs or punts.

Cough Devin Hester Cough

Because heaven knows he always dropped the ball when it was thrown to him....

[I like neeps]

Thinking about it more, if we worked in sectors with companies going burst, and we had potentially transferable skills then we'd consider moving to another field. Not sure why sportspeople should be any different.

Yes the issue is a 22 year old star is going to the NFL is a damning inditement on rugby.

Re Mailata - there's not many 6'7 people who can move like him which at LT is a huge huge benefit. LRZ at 6'3 and straight line fast with good agility eh every team has those guys.

Re him playing a Deebo role... That NFL coaches can't find a budget Deebo shows how impactful he is. LRZ's 9ers comp is Aiyuk who is a clinician technically. Scheming players open isn't that easy.

[Big D]

Thinking about it more, if we worked in sectors with companies going burst, and we had potentially transferable skills then we'd consider moving to another field. Not sure why sportspeople should be any different.

Yes the issue is a 22 year old star is going to the NFL is a damning inditement on rugby.

Re Mailata - there's not many 6'7 people who can move like him which at LT is a huge huge benefit. LRZ at 6'3 and straight line fast with good agility eh every team has those guys.

Re him playing a Deebo role... That NFL coaches can't find a budget Deebo shows how impactful he is. LRZ's 9ers comp is Aiyuk who is a clinician technically. Scheming players open isn't that easy.

Wasn't comparing him to Mialata, only giving an example of a player with no NFL or American football experience making a career from it in a thread full of reasons why he won't make it.

Wasn't intending to compare directly to Deebo as a player although see now it looks like that. LRZ literally has no NFL comparison at the moment because we have no idea what they'll try to do with him really. Was more the point that coaches can scheme plays to suit whatever his comparative strengths may be, if he develops any.

Even great receivers have plays schemed simply to use their speed when it is elite speed. If LRZ turns out to be middle of thr pack speed wise he's screwed. For McDaniels occassionally calls plays which are effectively "Tyreek go in motion and run" for Tyreek Hill to use his speed going by defenders before they are set.

[I like neeps]

Thinking about it more, if we worked in sectors with companies going burst, and we had potentially transferable skills then we'd consider moving to another field. Not sure why sportspeople should be any different.

Yes the issue is a 22 year old star is going to the NFL is a damning inditement on rugby.

Re Mailata - there's not many 6'7 people who can move like him which at LT is a huge huge benefit. LRZ at 6'3 and straight line fast with good agility eh every team has those guys.

Re him playing a Deebo role... That NFL coaches can't find a budget Deebo shows how impactful he is. LRZ's 9ers comp is Aiyuk who is a clinician technically. Scheming players open isn't that easy.

Wasn't comparing him to Mialata, only giving an example of a player with no NFL or American football experience making a career from it in a thread full of reasons why he won't make it.

Wasn't intending to compare directly to Deebo as a player although see now it looks like that. LRZ literally has no NFL comparison at the moment because we have no idea what they'll try to do with him really. Was more the point that coaches can scheme plays to suit whatever his comparative strengths may be, if he develops any.

Even great receivers have plays schemed simply to use their speed when it is elite speed. If LRZ turns out to be middle of thr pack speed wise he's screwed. For McDaniels occassionally calls plays which are effectively "Tyreek go in motion and run" for Tyreek Hill to use his speed going by defenders before they are set.

Yeah I appreciate that you aren't comparing him to Mailata but he's a planet theory guy. I don't think in the NFL LRZ is. I wonder if like Mailata he'll be drafted in the 7th round. I guess it depends on his combine.

Yeah all the teams use a lot of pre snap motion, and yes as fast as he is (10.2 100m) Tyreek just runs past people often. But Tyreek is still an excellent route runner. Motion and run this pattern, at this depth, the ball will be placed here if the coverage is there and there if the coverage is here etc etc etc.

It would be incredible if he makes it, even as a gadget player. But good luck to him. And funny it's happened to Wales' great white hope.

[Big D]

Yes the issue is a 22 year old star is going to the NFL is a damning inditement on rugby.

Re Mailata - there's not many 6'7 people who can move like him which at LT is a huge huge benefit. LRZ at 6'3 and straight line fast with good agility eh every team has those guys.

Re him playing a Deebo role... That NFL coaches can't find a budget Deebo shows how impactful he is. LRZ's 9ers comp is Aiyuk who is a clinician technically. Scheming players open isn't that easy.

Wasn't comparing him to Mialata, only giving an example of a player with no NFL or American football experience making a career from it in a thread full of reasons why he won't make it.

Wasn't intending to compare directly to Deebo as a player although see now it looks like that. LRZ literally has no NFL comparison at the moment because we have no idea what they'll try to do with him really. Was more the point that coaches can scheme plays to suit whatever his comparative strengths may be, if he develops any.

Even great receivers have plays schemed simply to use their speed when it is elite speed. If LRZ turns out to be middle of thr pack speed wise he's screwed. For McDaniels occassionally calls plays which are effectively "Tyreek go in motion and run" for Tyreek Hill to use his speed going by defenders before they are set.

Yeah I appreciate that you aren't comparing him to Mailata but he's a planet theory guy. I don't think in the NFL LRZ is. I wonder if like Mailata he'll be drafted in the 7th round. I guess it depends on his combine.

Yeah all the teams use a lot of pre snap motion, and yes as fast as he is (10.2 100m) Tyreek just runs past people often. But Tyreek is still an excellent route runner. Motion and run this pattern, at this depth, the ball will be placed here if the coverage is there and there if the coverage is here etc etc etc.

It would be incredible if he makes it, even as a gadget player. But good luck to him. And funny it's happened to Wales' great white hope.

I love him trying. The position I'm thinking he could fill is tje wing back type of receiver that was used, then wasn't and was starting to be used more again. Allows him to line up a yard back from the line which might help negate lack of technique a little.

I suspect NFL/NFL UK and LRZ have an idea of how he'll test and he'll make some money on his "journey" from PR.

Worst case he fails and is back starting for Wales on 2027 world cup. A benefit of the NFL is that the contact attrition on his body will likely be lower than union so should come back in one piece.

[Guy Smiley]

Special teams kick returner is his best bet

Agreed.

There was an ex AFL player who migrated over back in the 90s, not a star player but he had a massive boot. He made millions playing as the team's specialist punt kicker. Come out on field, boot the leather off the thing and leave the field of play while the musk oxen clashed heads over it.