The eight rugby players who have just followed Louis Rees-Zammit to the NFL

Eight rugby players will join the NFL's International Player Pathway as they aim to follow in the footsteps of Louis Rees-Zammit.

The players have been brought from both codes of the game - league and union. The class of 2025 will include Australian international Jordan Petaia, whose move to American football has been regularly reported this year.

The next-most notable players are France Sevens international Joachim Trouabal and Ulster winger Aaron Sexton, with the latter being unofficially dubbed as the fastest player in Ireland.

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There are 14 athletes from across the world in total, including Maceo Beard (France) and Leander Wiegand (Germany), who are both American football players. The full list of rugby players can be viewed below.

• Jordan Petaia (Australia)

• Laitia Moceidreke (Australia)

• Laki Tasi (Australia)

• Jeneiro Wakeham (Fiji)

• Joachim Trouabal (France)

• Aaron Sexton (Ireland)

• TJ Maguranyanga (Zimbabwe)

• Paschal Ekeji Jr (South Africa)

Rees-Zammit was part of the class of 2024, and learned to play the game in Florida at the start of the year. After going through a fast-track 10-week training camp with his fellow IPP athletes, he attended an NFL Pro Day, where scouts from various franchises were in attendance to see what he and his peers had to offer.

This is what Petaia and fellow rugby stars will go through in the coming weeks, and will likely get started in January. Rees-Zammit didn't score too well in the Pro Day, but ended up being recruited by Kansas City Chiefs on a three-year contract. He wasn't signed to their roster or practice squad after that, though, and ended up without a team.

In came Jacksonville Jaguars, who selected him as part of their 17-player practice squad for the new season, which started in September. He has not yet been elevated to the main roster to play for the franchise, but is hoping to make an impact next season, after getting used to the game in the coming months.

Speaking about the class of 2025, NFL executive vice president of international, events and club business Peter O’Reilly said: "The class of 2025 is an exciting one, and we are delighted to welcome these talented athletes from around the world to the International Player Pathway program.

"Focusing on our global football development efforts and fostering international talent is crucial to growing our game globally. The IPP program offers life-changing opportunities for international talent, and we look forward to following their progress in the weeks and months ahead."