Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach was full of praise for former Wales winger Louis Rees-Zammit after the rugby union star signed to the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad. The 23-year-old was deployed in several positions by the Chiefs but did not make their 53-player roster. Rees-Zammit swapped rugby union for the NFL after a successful start to his career in the former.
Louis Rees-Zammit has signed for the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad after Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach encouraged him to look for new opportunities.
The former rugby union star, who scored 14 tries in 32 caps for Wales, was let go by the Chiefs having failed to make it into their 53-player roster.
Rees-Zammit made the switch from rugby union to American football in March, having also represented Gloucester Rugby.
Veach encouraged Rees-Zammit to look for new opportunities but emphasised how impressive his switch from rugby union to the NFL has been to watch.
“We kept it open, we wanted the kid to really look at maybe some different opportunities as well,” Veach said.
“Pretty remarkable, when you think about a player that doesn’t have any pro American football experience. No middle school, no high school, no big-time college experience.
“We were kind of thinking about it going through camp, imagine not having any sort of foundational background, just to be thrown in and be doing one-on-one pass-pros with a Drue Tranquill or a Nick Bolton. I mean, that’s pretty incredible.”
The 23-year-old was deployed in several different positions during his spell with the Kansas City Chiefs. Veach believes that Rees-Zammit would benefit from finding out his best position.
“I think for him, it’ll be just finding out that exact position,” Veach added.
“Running back, maybe a big slot receiver, I think he does have some potential as a returner.
“I’m not so sure he couldn’t be a kicker. I mean, he had an outstanding leg, and with this new rule, he can do some different things, provide some versatility.”
The Jacksonville Jaguars will play back-to-back games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in October.
Veach believes that the Jaguars’ record of playing games in London could have attracted Rees-Zammit to the franchise.
“I think the Jacksonville thing, and their relationship overseas and what that brings to the table, going overseas twice a year, I think that was probably something that interested him,” Veach added.
“Phenomenal kid, phenomenal worker, and again, just thinking back on the tremendous amount of progress he made in a short amount of time, I think he’ll continue to grow and develop, and I think he found a really good spot there in Jacksonville.”
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