Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit takes center stage at NFL’s international player pro day

Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit was dripping sweat and still catching his breath after finishing up receiving drills when several NFL scouts approached him at the University of South Florida's pro day.

"Do you have an agent?"

"Have you ever been injured?"

"Did you take the Wonderlic?"

"Are you doing this for yourself or your family?"

Rees-Zammit politely answered every question before heading off to take a few more from reporters.

Rees-Zammit stunned rugby fans when he announced in January that he was leaving the Welsh national team to pursue a dream of playing in the NFL. The talented 23-year-old, one of the best wingers in rugby, now was the center of attention on a football field instead of a pitch.

"It's always been on my mind," Rees-Zammit said Wednesday. "My dad has been a massive role model to me because he brought me up loving the sport. He played the sport when he was younger so it's quite easy to love the game because I've been watching it from such a young age. So, it's always been in the back of my head, but it's just amazing to finally do it now."

Rees-Zammit, whose favorite NFL player growing up was three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson, is one of 15 athletes from eight countries participating in the NFL International Player Pathway program. It was established in 2017 to provide elite athletes from around the world the opportunity to earn a spot on an NFL roster and increase the number of international players in the league.

The prospects spend 10 weeks training at IMG Academy in Bradenton, getting a crash course in practicing the fundamentals of football and learning the intricacies of a game most have never played.

They got a chance to showcase their skills at USF's pro day in front of 51 scouts