Travis Clayton, an English rugby union winger who plays in the eighth tier of domestic rugby, was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the final round of the NFL Draft.
The 23-year-old was the 221st overall pick in the seventh round out of Detroit.
Clayton, who has never played competitive football, is expected to play as a forward.
His club, Basingstoke, play in the County 2 Hampshire division, although he has not played since March 2023.
“As rugby is also a team sport, I think this helps tremendously,” Clayton said.
“Most importantly, playing on the wing in rugby helps with the physical side and agility.”
Clayton, who is 6-foot-3, was selected in the NFL’s International Player Pathway program, which tries to find players from outside the United States who are well-suited for the sport.
He completed the 40-yard dash in 4.79 seconds during the NFL Combine, an event that collects data from players before the draft.
The Bills said Clayton’s run was the fastest recorded by an offensive lineman in the last 10 years.
In March, former Wales rugby union star Louis Rees-Zammit joined the Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.
This year, for the first time, all 32 NFL franchises will receive an additional spot on their practice squads specifically for international players, including those who have gone through the Pathway program.
Teams that have an international player on their training squad will also be able to promote him to the active squad, up to three times during the season.
