English rugby union winger Travis Clayton has made headlines after being selected by the Buffalo Bills in the final round of the NFL Draft. Despite never having played American football competitively, the 23-year-old is expected to make the transition to playing as an offensive lineman for the Bills.
Clayton currently plays for Basingstoke in the Counties 2 Hampshire division and credits his success to his experience in rugby, specifically highlighting his physicality and agility skills. Basingstoke coach Richard Cheetham has praised Clayton’s ability to adapt and transition to American football.
The talented athlete was selected from the NFL’s International Player Pathway programme, which aims to develop international talent for the league. At the NFL Combine, Clayton impressed scouts with a 40-yard dash time of 4.79 seconds, the fastest for an offensive lineman drafted by the Bills in the past 10 years.
As part of the programme, all 32 NFL franchises have been given an additional place in their practice squads for international players, including those from the pathway programme. Teams are also allowed to promote international players from their practice squads to their active rosters up to three times during the season.
Fans of Forever Sports Online are eagerly anticipating Clayton’s debut in the NFL and are excited to see how his rugby skills will translate to American football. Stay tuned for updates on Clayton’s journey from the rugby field to the gridiron.
