IRISH TRIO RORY Beggan, Mark Jackson and Charlie Smyth were in action at the NFL International Combine in Indianapolis last night.
The inter-county goalkeepers competed as kickers as NFL scouts watched on at Lucas Oil Stadium, with former Connacht full-back Darragh Leader partaking in a series of punting drills today.
Beggan (Monaghan), Jackson (Wicklow) and Smyth (Down) were among a raft of college kickers vying for inclusion in the NFL Draft in April, and can be approached any time by clubs as they are free agents.
Those involved took a series of kicks from different distances and angles, some with the ball held by a pin and others from a snap-and-hold.
Charlie Smyth makes 12/16 kicks at NFL Combine. Rory Beggan 11/16, Mark Jackson 10/16.
— Gavan Casey (@GavanCasey) March 4, 2024
All found nice rhythm from mid-range — none missed from under 35 yds.
Smyth inches wide from 60 with last kick. Beggan close from same distance.
Beggan and Jackson both nailed one from 55.
Shaping up here… #NFLCombine2024 #kickers pic.twitter.com/9jllxdFmzz
— Conor Mangan (@DropkickMangan) March 3, 2024
Beggan, Jackson, Smyth and Leader are among 16 participants in this year’s NFL International Player Pathway. The IPP programme was established in 2017 with the aim of giving international athletes the chance to ultimately earn a spot on an NFL roster.
Ah one more… Rory Beggan, after competing as one of the first ever Irish athletes through the IPP program.
— Conor Mangan (@DropkickMangan) March 4, 2024
Smashed it at the combine. Big things ahead.
🥹🥹#NFLCombine2024 #gaa #kicker #nfl pic.twitter.com/c4eGqN80XB
The GAA players have missed the National Football League thus far, with Beggan’s Monaghan absence coming under the microscope on RTÉ League Sunday last night.
“Any team is going to miss a Rory Beggan. He’s a leader,” Dublin All-Ireland winner Paul Flynn told the programme. “He has been there, he’s ever present, regardless of whether it’s league or championship.
“It’s organising the defence, being the orchestrator of the defensive structure. [Monahan have] let in 11 goals, more goals than any other team across all the divisions. Of course he’s going to be missed. His free-taking ability, his kickouts, he has one of the best kickouts in the whole game.”
'Of course he's going to be missed' - Monaghan feeling the absence of Rory Beggan after conceding 11 goals in this year's Division 1 campaign #RTEgaa
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) March 3, 2024
#📺Watch on @RTEplayer
🛜Results & Reports @RTEsport pic.twitter.com/sQ3sVxQK55
Any word on his jaw injury? It must not be as bad as cosy thought if he’s giving interviews and no mention of it at all.
Here’s hoping anyway.
Surely it would have been mentioned if it was bad and I’m going to take the fact that he can talk as a good sign. He was walking around at the end hugging people without flinching as well and let’s face it, his jaw-line is majestic anyway so I’d say it’ll be hard to do much damage.
He’s definitely ahead of White for us in my view but if both were missing it would be a huge blow.
He seems okay in Connacht players post match interviews with Connacht Rugby TV.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q9YAmSizNY
It’s obvious now why Henshaw is leaving. He can’t get a spot as centre!
Peter Robb is a big unit. Is he good enough to compete against our international 12′s I wonder. Extra choice for Ireland at centre can only be a good thing.
After all the worrying about who our centres were going to be after BOD and D’Arcy retired, we will have a ridiculous amount of options going forward. Henshaw and Payne are clearly Joe’s first choice but then there’s the likes of McCloskey, Marshall, Olding, Ringrose and Aki maybe soon to be in the mix.
And that’s before mentioning other young lads like Scannel and Robb. Fitzgerald could be included but any games he gets for Ireland from now on will probably either be on the wing or from the bench and unfortunately for Cave his time with Ireland is probably up.
Arnold Luke Marshall Ronaldson Mcsharry and Farnell at Grenoble
Furlong bealham and Moore will be worthy of Ross’ throne once he’s gone. I think he could last 2-3 more years despite his age. He hasn’t had a huge number of caps because he wasn’t getting picked for years with Hayes court and Buckley all preferred.
Really happy to see Bealham doing so well. He should be pushing for an Ireland spot soon.
Developing into a super player, looks like the heir apparent to Mike Ross.