Charlie Smyth has accepted an offer to try out with the New Orleans Saints
At just 22, the Down GAA star has agreed to a try out with the New Orleans Saints, as reported by Pro Football Ireland. If he plays impresses, he could become the first of four lads from Ireland to secure a deal.
Smyth, Monaghan goalie Rory Beggan, former Connacht rugby star Darragh Leader and Mark Jackson from Wicklow are all part of the NFL International Player Pathway Program .
"The expectations are that teams are going to file them into their facilities for medicals, for interviews, for work-outs and, so, a pretty mad thing to say, but I think a couple of the lads are going to be getting signed to contracts in the next maybe two to six weeks; potentially sooner, but that is the usual timeline for these things."
Leader added that the NFL interest in the players had "gotten very real" since the combine. He said: "Talking about lads from Monaghan, Down, Wicklow and Galway dealing directly with NFL teams is mad. "Rory Beggan looked extremely composed and Charlie Smyth and Mark took a kick or two to find their rhythm but once they found it they were very impressive which, again, was pointed out by the NFL staff to me."
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