Irish trio of Gaelic footballers fly out to kick & chase their NFL dream

Three prominent Gaelic football goalkeepers are preparing to fly to Florida for a month-long kicking camp as they close in on their pursuit of an NFL contract.

Former All-Star and Monaghan stalwart Rory Beggan, Down goalkeeper Charlie Smyth, and Wicklow's Mark Jackson - who has scored over 100 points for the Garden County in his eight years on the senior panel - will compete at the NFL Combine in March.

They will be joined by ex-Connacht rugby player Darragh Leader in their attempt to land a contract.

These athletes have been preparing up to three times a week for the past six months under coach Tadhg Leader, who is a brother of Darragh. Tadhg himself is an ex-Connacht rugby player who founded Leader Kicking to help young Irish players earn US College scholarships as kickers.

After helping Laois’ Ross Bolger and Cavan’s Ronan Patterson to gain scholarships with US College teams, Leader’s group attracted interest from the NFL and their International Player Pathway (IPP).

Last week it was revealed that the three goalkeepers - and Darragh Leader - will be among those seeking a contract in front of NFL scouts at the Combine in Indianapolis on 3 March.

Their presence at the camp coincides with the news that Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit will also be chasing an NFL contract.

Tadhg Leader has subsequently been appointed the lead coach for the kicking and punting group by the NFL’s IPP. He will lead 16 athletes from eight countries to the Combine in their quest to earn a spot on an NFL roster and will showcase their talentsat the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

Timing is key and because of this programme, each NFL team can field an extra foreign player on their roster, which does not count against the roster or the salary cap.

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