Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , Newcastle Red Bulls winger Christian Wade has identified the England rugby stars who could make the switch to the NFL .
The former England man has named Tommy Freeman , Marcus Smith and several others as players with the physical tools to turn heads in America , while explaining why wide receiver is the toughest position to crack.
Wade has also assessed how USA Rugby might tap into college football talent ahead of the 2031 World Cup , and whether the NFL can ever become a truly global sport like basketball or soccer.
Physical Prospects
Which England Players Could Make It in the NFL?
The combine exists to see how you move, your speed, power, strength, footwork. If I go off that, there are quite a few guys in the England team who could go over and turn heads. I think Tommy Freeman could go in and be a good tight end. He's a big, physical guy with good pace, similar to what Alex Gray did when he went over.
Being a wide receiver is probably the hardest position on offence to play. It looks like you're just running downfield catching a ball, but you really have to understand defences, routes, and how to create separation. When Louis Rees-Zammit went over, I think he was playing running back, but then he decided he wanted to play receiver. It's incredibly hard to just step into that against guys who have played it their whole lives.
Who Else Could Make the Switch?
Someone like Marcus Smith , with his footwork, would be a nice slot receiver. Manny Feyi-Waboso , with his low centre of gravity, I'd love to see him play running back. He likes the contact and can find small seams. For linebackers, the Curry twins, Tom and Ben , could do it. Henry Pollock would probably be a good linebacker, too. He's got great lateral movement and isn't afraid to hit guys.
As for linemen, I'm not sure there's anyone in our English setup because it's about massive wingspans while being heavy. Maybe someone like the South African Eben Etzebeth would be a good offensive tackle because of how tall he is. He could just stop guys from coming around the edge.
USA Rugby
Might USA Rugby Look at College Football Players For 2031?
They've had programmes in the past where they've done exactly that. There's definitely a premise there, and with the World Cup coming up, they'll probably use that strategy more. But the main purpose right now is getting Major League Rugby to a sustainable place.
The biggest gap is that Americans are often first exposed to rugby in college. They need to focus on the grassroots and get it into more high schools. It's the fastest-growing sport in America , but they just need to find a way to make it sustainable.
Going Global
Is the NFL Trying to Become a Truly Global Sport?
When you look at the NBA , it's a massive global sport. Basketball is huge in Asia , Europe , and Australia . I'm not sure the NFL will become a global sport to that degree because it's so expensive to play. You have to buy h
elmets and pads, whereas with soccer or basketball, you just need a ball.
However, Flag Football is taking off quickly because you don't need all the gear. I think the NFL 's strategy with international games is more about building viewers rather than global participation. The International Player Pathway program brings in foreign audiences.
Jordan Mailata winning the Super Bowl created lifelong NFL fans in Australia . They're tapping into markets in Mexico , Brazil , Spain , and Germany , and there's obviously talk of a permanent London franchise, which teams are much more open to now.
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