New Zealander Paul Lasike is hoping to make it big with the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL.
He was signed as an undrafted free agent in May and he's made a strong impression in his first training session this week.
Lasike, 25, was born in Auckland and he only began playing American Football in 2012 for Brigham Young University (BYU) but he's improved year after year - increasing the rushing and receiving yards he's made.
With previous rugby experience from his youth, Lasike has taken a liking to the sport and he plays as a running back.
Former NFL star Ron Wolfey said he was "the star of pads practice" and the Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald was fired up after watching Lasike - high fiving him after he caught a pass while athletically falling to score a touchdown.
Lasike revealed in an interview on the Cardinals website that he was "starstruck" by the acclaim from Fitzgerald and he said he was ready to give everything to achieve the dream of playing in the NFL.
"I'm a meathead of a fullback and I love physicality and I'm willing to work hard and learn," he said. "Everyone's really physical at this level so you've definitely got to bring your A game."
He was offered a scholarship and he's now in contention to feature in the NFL after his efforts in training.
Given some of the similarities between American Football and Rugby, it perhaps comes as no surprise to hear Lasike say that learning to play fullback was an "easy position" but he did admit he still struggled with some factors of the game.
He added: "One on ones - that's my thing, my only thing really. Lead blocking and pass protection - those are what I really specialize in. I love the physicality and the contact.
"Some of the nuances of the game are really hard to me because it's like learning a new language but I just hope I showed them that I'm out there to work hard, put my head down and give it everything."
