Watch: Charlie Smyth's NFL signing has set 'unrealistic expectations' but more to come

Tadhg Leader is full sure that the door remains wide open for the likes of Rory Beggan and Mark Jackson, and that the approaching NFL draft will give a much more rounded picture as to where this country’s candidates stand.

STEELERS NATION: Pictured are former Pittsburgh Steelers players Shaun Suisham and Jordan Berry, Pittsburgh Steelers Director Business Development & Strategy Daniel Rooney, Tadhg Leader of Leader Kicking and Rory Beggan, Mark Jackson and Darragh Leader who participated in the NFL’s International Player Pathway 2024 at the Pittsburgh Steelers Kicking Clinic which was held today at the Sport Ireland Campus. Pic Credit: Laszlo Geczo, Inpho.

Tadhg Leader has cautioned that Charlie Smyth’s selection by the New Orleans Saints has set some unrealistic expectations about the route Irish hopefuls need to take in order to earn an NFL contract.

That’s the ‘bad’ news.

The good news is that Leader is full sure that the door remains wide open for the likes of Rory Beggan and Mark Jackson, and that the approaching NFL draft will give a much more rounded picture as to where this country’s candidates stand.

“Maybe what happened with Charlie might have set unrealistic expectations at home here,” said Leader who is now an NFL kicking and punting coach. “It’s very common to get signed after the draft as a kicker or punter, that is pretty normal.

“The guys that get signed pre-draft are generally proven veterans who teams want to snap up straight away and they are the guys who up front get handed all this crazy money. What happened with Charlie was the time line was rapid.

Here’s Tadhg Leader, the man who has created the path to the NFL for Irish kickers, speaking today on Charlie Smyth’s chances of making it with the New Orleans Saints

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“He’s young and has a lot of ability so the Saints jumped on him, which they were right to do, but most guys will get signed after the draft and that is going to be the case for Mark and Rory.”

Leader is the former rugby player who spotted an untapped market here for sportspeople who could make a go of earning college scholarships as kickers and punters in the USA and, for an even more select few, a place on NFL professional rosters.

The NFL draft is the glitzy and glamorous weekend where the 32 franchises pick the best of the college talent. It is a massive meat market where the rewards for those lucky enough to be chosen can be enormous.

The kicking and punting positions are the most international spots on the rosters with kickers from all over the world adding to the American pool of talent but Leader is sure that Beggan and Jackson can still turn the right heads this year.

“So they are firmly still in the race and they are good enough as well but it’s a waiting game, which is really tough. Rory went one hundred per cent at his pro day, didn’t miss a kick, but hopefully it is good enough.

“It might not be good enough because it’s the world biggest league and the standard is exceptional. And he is exceptional but there’s another 50, 60, 70 guys around the world who are exceptional and only 32 of those will end up with a job.

“It’s tough but the door is still open. After the draft, five days to a week after the draft we’ll have a much better lay of the land.”

Smyth started his new job with the Saints just yesterday. He is now, officially, a professional athlete and Leader, who was involved in the Pittsburgh Steelers first Irish kicking clinic today, is certain that he will be an NFL player sooner or later.

“He’s not going in there to be on the training squad, he’s going in there to compete to win the starting job. You don’t get signed to a training squad or as a starter, everyone goes in at the same level to win the job.

“Now, if you are competing against a guy who has the job five or ten years he is more likely - and they have given him a couple of million dollars up front - he is more likely to win, but Charlie is going in to compete against a guy who has no guaranteed money, who only started doing this last year.

“So he is going in with a genuine shot to win it and he is good enough, most importantly. Everyone here has elite kicking ability but it’s about your mindset and how do you perceive pressure opportunities, and do you survive or thrive in them, and Charlie goes and thrives. He has a world-class mindset.”