Kiwi league stars on NFL watch-list

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck of the Roosters. Photo / Getty

Kiwis are prominent in a list of NRL players who can follow Jarryd Hayne's magical footsteps into America's NFL ranks.

And reports suggest Australasia's footballers could be under siege from the super rich American football franchises, after former Aussie NRL star Hayne's surprisingly strong start in his effort to crack the NFL ranks.

Whether the reaction to Hayne's pre-season debut for the San Francisco 49ers is overly excitable or close to the mark remains to be seen, but he has certainly made a splash in his old stamping ground.

Australia's former NFL player Colin Scotts said he had fielded calls from scouts about other league players with the capacity to make it in the NFL.

The Warriors-bound Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Sam Kasiano, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Jason Taumalolo are the Kiwis named with the potential to make it in American football, Sydney's Daily Telegraph has reported.

The others on Scott's list are Greg Inglis, Jack Wighton, Semi Radradra, Dave Taylor, George Burgess, Josh Papalii, James Roberts and goalkicker Jarrod Croker along with Wallaby rugby union players Israel Folau - who made his name in the NRL - and massive lock Will Skelton.

Excitement is building, or is being whipped up, after Hayne's promising pre-season debut for the San Francisco 49ers.

Scotts, 52, had a brief career with the Arizona Cardinals in 1987.

Scotts said it was a difficult and complex business to take on an American football career, but indicated the raw material to do so existed in Australia. Scotts said: "Jarryd is a freakish athlete who is breaking the mould - if Jarryd goes straight into the pros, that is mind-blowing. He is proving everyone wrong.

Last year, @49ers RB @jarrydhayne_1 was playing rugby.

This year? He's putting NFL defenders on skates. #SFvsHOU http://t.co/30PS6ENIFP

— NFL (@NFL) August 16, 2015

"The NRL is more like the NFL than any other sport in the world. NFL clubs will be here boots and all - they won't take any prisoners either."