San Francisco 49ers Have to Keep Jarryd Hayne
Aug 15, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans safety Rahim Moore (26) tackles against San Francisco 49ers running back Jarryd Hayne (38) in a preseason NFL football game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
The San Francisco 49ers and Australian rugby star Jarryd Hayne are so to be rugby-to-football pioneers. Hayne has done nothing but impress the 49ers and the football world since he made the switch. From watch tape on him play rugby, I saw that he was already a tremendous broken-field runner.
So a return-man role on special teams was the most natural fit there was for him but he has shown more than that. I just wondered if he could adjust to NFL plays and make it through the line of scrimmages as a running back. Not only has he shown he can but he’s also a better return man than I thought and I thought he would be good at that.
You can’t even kick it over his head as he will chase it down and make an incredible over-the-shoulder catch if necessary. Against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, he had punt returns of 27, 34 and 23-yards. Again, he’s a tremendous broken-field runner with excellent vision, shakes and tackle breaking power.
As a running back, he showed excellent patience and burst through the hole along with a nice stiff-arm. He ended up with 54 rushing yards on eight carries to show he is quite capable there too. This absolutely amazing that a man that’s never played football can do what he’s doing even in a preseason game.
If Hayne can be trusted to pick up blitzes in pass protection, he may be able to challenge for a starting. As a returner, my only complaint is after no one else could get him on the ground, the punter did (lol). In all seriousness, this guy was a great rugby player and it’s translating so they need to keep him.
If they don’t another team will snatch him up with a quickness and now, NFL will be scouting other rugby stars. Kickers often come from come from soccer, receivers and defensive backs often come from track. Defensive lineman often come from the field events of track and tight ends are coming from basketball, albeit younger.
After Hayne, how many running backs and return-men will come from rugby?
Aussie, Aussie Aussie, oi, oi, oi!