Although he spent most of his time on the Bills' practice squad, his stint in Buffalo ended in 2022, reports the Mirror . According to Wade, Rees-Zammit's early challenges stem from the amount of information the former rugby winger has to absorb pre-snap, as well as process while the play is in motion. NFL playbooks require extensive studying, which is crucial for success in professional American football, Wade shared at a Viagogo NFL event in London.
Wade, commenting on Rees-Zammit who succeeded him at Gloucester after a French rugby stint, said on Rees-Zammit: "I think Lewis is an exceptional athlete." Meanwhile, recalling his early days, he said: "I remember when he first came into the premiership, he was, I don't know, 17, 18. He was this fast kid, you know, fair and square stuff.
"Just sprinting through guys, scoring tries for fun. I was like, 'Yeah, he's definitely going to be a big star for the future.' Sure enough, he's only 23, 24, and he's already been at the top of the paper lines. He's done it all. So, he's an exceptional athlete. But the thing is, over in America, everybody's an exceptional athlete."
Wade elaborated on the need to stand out in American sports, highlighting that "In order for you to stick out and be somebody that they're like, 'This is our guy.' Having a resume in college is obviously a big thing, which we don't have as UK football players. And then also, just understanding the game and being able to play with great game speed."
On adapting to NFL speed he noted, "It's one thing when you can run fast but the amount of information you have to take in pre-snap and while the play is unfolding - that's the bit that will slow you down because you're having to think rather than moving your body and running."
Wade reflected on his own struggles and identified similarities with Rees-Zammit, "That's a challenge I faced, understanding the playbook, getting my pre-snap reads in place and being able to play at the speed I need to play at. I saw a little bit of that in Louis' pre-season games, where I recognised myself in him.
"A lot of the other guys that came over from the U.K. [faced similar challenges] where you're fast but doing a lot of thinking. That's the only challenge I think he'll have to get over is just trying to watch as much video and analysis as possible so that he can make those reads quicker, and get the playbook down and that's when you'll start to see him become more comfortable with the ball and make even bigger plays."
Wade, who's 16 tries away from the all-time Premiership Rugby record, has had chats with Rees-Zammit since his decision to switch to the NFL. They're due for another talk, according to Wade.
"I haven't spoken to him a lot and I understand because there's so much learning to do. Even when I went over there I didn't speak to my parents for weeks sometimes, friends, and so on and so forth," Wade wrapped up. "It's been, kind of, back and forth on messages every so often and I'm due a catch-up with him soon."
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