The NFL International Pathway has proved a fruitful pursuit in recent years, allowing every participating team an 11th spot on their practice squads in order to keep hold of their foreign asset who may with a bit of extra training prove to be a future star of the league.
As it stands, many teams around the league have taken advantage of this loophole to allow them an extra player, including the likes of the New Orleans Saints (Alex Jenkins), Pittsburgh Steelers (Christian Scotland-Williamson), and the Baltimore Ravens (Chris Ezeala) to name but a few.
However, the Houston Texans are yet to give any internationally based players a shot, despite the low-risk high reward nature of the deal. But, with a roster in need of depth could 2019 be the year when the Texans change their approach and try something new?
This is where Christian Wade comes in. The soon to be 28-year old is a former professional rugby player from England, for whom he also played internationally as well as for the British and Irish Lions. Standing at just 5-8, he is likely to be seen as a running back, or potentially a slot receiver according to Scott Smith of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, although his bulky stature may limit his effectiveness here.
What stands out about Wade is his pace. He has explosive pace and great top end speed. Coming from a rugby background he is clearly an athletic individual and he is extremely tough to bring down. He possesses good hands and a good eye for the ball, and when running he can be very elusive.
Naturally being new to the sport means he is not the finished product. His footwork needs some work and this is an area he himself admitted is taking time to get used.
“When we first started, especially for me, I wasn’t really used to being told how far to run and how many steps to take and that sort of stuff,” Wade said. “So, for me, it’s definitely been a process, and as this program has gone along I’ve definitely got used to it.”
Despite this, he has talent, that cannot be denied. His size could allow him to fit nicely behind any offensive line and he could become a serviceable third-down power back if nothing else. The Texans should at the very least give him and his fellow International prospects a consideration given that at the end of the day they have nothing to lose from the program.
Yes, he is late entering the NFL, and his career would likely be short given his age. But this should not deter the Texans given’s Wade upside and their dire need for another back and/or slot receiver.
