Jarryd Hayne is yet to make the San Francisco 49ers squad roster, but special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey Jr says the former NRL star has some traits of great NFL kick returners.
What he still needs to hone is the feel for where tacklers are going to come from when they can arrive from all directions.
“Jarryd is fearless. That’s one of the characteristics it takes to be a great punt returner,” McCaughey said on Friday (AEST).
“He has great lateral quickness and that’s another characteristic of a great open-field runner.”
“You look at Dante Hall (retired), Devin Hester (Atlanta Falcons), those types of runners, guys that can make people miss, Darren Sproles (Philadelphia Eagles), they’ve got great lateral quickness and Jarryd possesses great lateral quickness.
“He’s a joy to coach.”
However McGaughey warned against expecting too much to soon, attempting to play down the hype growing on both sides of the Pacific.
“He has a lot of natural ability, but we have to be realistic, too,” he said.
“He’s got a long way to go, he’s doing some good things and hopefully he’ll continue down that path.”
He said a steep learning curve remained to make the NFL grade, as Hayne shifts from rugby league to American football.
“I think he’s used to having that ball in his hands and that’s real natural for him,” he said.
“(But) Most of the tackles you have (in NRL) are just one-on-one, open-field tackles as opposed to a group of guys dropping back in an area and all of a sudden they’re coming from all kinds of different angles, and you got to know what you’re looking at.”
McGaughey also said he’d welcome other NRL players to the NFL, should they have the natural talent and application of Hayne.
ProfVonSchrodinger
Guest
I appreciate your point however you have inadvertently made my point, to play American Football one doesn't need any specific American Football skills as they don't seem to exist. He can take his Rugby League skills and easily transition towards the American game without any problems whatsover. Many of American Football players are former runners and other athletes anyway, it is a game outside of a few positions that doesn't require any real tangible skillset.
Chris Love
Guest
You've got to be kidding Schrodinger...... Hayne may be a very good athlete but his Rugby League Skills are in rarefied air. He has an all round game I don't think I have seen in Rugby League ever. His running game alone is amongst the best we've ever seen yet he has the whole package. Tackling at speed is sublime. Ball Playing, kicking game, Passing game. Probably his biggest asset is his vision and ability to make players miss tackles they have no right in missing. The only thing he doesn't do is kick pentaly/conversion goals.
ProfVonSchrodinger
Guest
Seems like being a very good athlete is the only real prerequisite in establishing yourself in this game rather than requiring any tangible skill set.
Slim
Guest
He will make it, if not it would be a political reason. Jarryd is a gun player.