The NFL's desire to attract a more worldwide appeal led to NFC South teams being randomly chosen to add four international players to the practice squad this season, a move coaches around the division certainly welcomed.
The Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, and New Orleans Saints will each be given an exemption for an 11th practice squad member as part of the NFL's new International Player Pathway program. The players will not be eligible to be activated during the season.
Three of the players selected come from England and one is from Germany. The players include former England rugby star Alex Gray, who will join the Falcons as a tight end, recent college players Alex Jenkins (Saints) and Eric Nzeocha (Buccaneers) -- a defensive end and linebacker, respectively -- and defensive end Efe Obada (Panthers), who was originally signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2015.
"I think it's cool," Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. "I really do. I was involved with [having an international player] in San Diego. We had a linebacker and it was a lot of fun. It's kind of neat and it brings some interest abroad, and that's important. As this game grows, I think it will be really good."
The San Diego player Rivera was referring to was linebacker Jason Brisbane, a British player who was brought over to the Chargers' practice squad in 2008.
The four players have been training alongside NFL players and draft hopefuls in Florida under the watch of two-time Super Bowl winner and one-time Falcons defensive end Osi Umenyiora along with Aden Durde, the NFLUK's head of football development.
"This is going to change people's lives," said Umenyiora in a statement. "They have a great opportunity. They are going to be seen not only by their new teams but by everyone who might imagine they can be NFL players. They will inspire people around the globe; people who never thought they had a chance to make it to the NFL. Now they see they have a viable pathway. These guys have worked very hard for this chance and I am confident they will make a great contribution to their teams while improving their skills and understanding of the game."
Falcons coach Dan Quinn said he's excited about the opportunity and is "wholeheartedly" looking forward to the opportunity to develop a player as part of the team's "Plan D" development initiative. Quinn might have the most intriguing prospect of them all in rugby defect Gray, 26, who coincidentally once played rugby for the Newcastle Falcons. Not to mention Quinn is a rugby fan and has preached rugby-style tackling to his team.
Said Clark: "I have been working hard for this goal and to be told it was going to happen was an amazing moment. This is the start of another journey. It is a fantastic thing that is happening, but I am not going to get to where I want to be without keeping myself grounded. Making the decision to give this my all from rugby, there was a big transition period and it was mentally very humbling. When you have to start from scratch again, that was a huge mental battle for me. When I look back I will be very proud of the way I approached this."
Nzeocha, 24, played three years at Wyoming and switched from tight end to linebacker before the 2015 season. His brother, Mark, plays for the Cowboys.
Jenkins, 24, played at the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio and was a three-year starter.
"It's not that you're necessarily scouting overseas, but it's a chance to take a peek at a player," Saints coach Sean Payton said of adding Jenkins. "And we have grades on the player, we're familiar with him. I'll be anxious to have a chance to see how it goes. And, look, as you get into the course of a season, when you have a defensive lineman, that could be one position where, hey, it's a plus to get an 11th practice player. I think it's good. I'm excited to meet him and get a chance to see how he does."