Christian Wade says ‘understanding the game’ is key for Louis Rees-Zammit in NFL

Gloucester winger Christian Wade feels “exceptional” Louis Rees-Zammit needs to keep improving his American football fluency if the former Wales rugby union player wants to succeed in the NFL.

Wade left rugby in 2018 to pursue an NFL career, making his debut with Buffalo Bills the following year and even scoring a touchdown in that pre-season game, but spent the rest of his tenure on the practice squad.

It’s a similar position to where Gloucester alumnus Rees-Zammit – now a member of Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad – finds himself after he was released by Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs.

Speaking at a Viagogo insights briefing, Wade said: “First of all, I think Louis is an exceptional athlete. I remember when he first came into the Premiership, he was 17, 18, this fast kid, just sprinting through guys, scoring tries for fun.

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— Jaguars UK and IE (@JaguarsUKandIE) August 29, 2024

“And I was like ‘he’s definitely going to be a big star for the future.’ He’s already played for the Lions, he’s done it all. He’s an exceptional athlete, but over in America everyone is an exceptional athlete.

“So in order for you to stick out and be somebody, having a resume in college is obviously a big thing, which we don’t have as UK football players, and then also just understanding the game.

“It’s one thing if you can run fast, but the amount of information that you have to take in pre-snap, that’s a challenge I faced, and I saw a little bit of that in Louis’ pre-season games. The guys who come over from the UK, you’re fast, you want to go, but you’re doing a lot of thinking.

“That’s the only challenge I feel you need to get over.”

Wade is now back in the Gallagher