18 January 2024 , 17:00
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Former England prospect Harry Mallinder is set to follow Wales winger Louis Rees-Zammit in joining the NFL through the International Player Pathway program.
On Tuesday, Wales and Gloucester winger Rees-Zammit sensationally revealed he is turning his back on rugby with immediate effect to enter the NFL’s IPP program. The IPP aims to help premier athletes earn a spot on one of the 32 rosters and increase the number of international players in the NFL.
Another elite athlete looking to switch from rugby to the NFL is Mallinder, a penetrative attacking fullback who spent his entire career in the Premiership with the Northampton Saints. After experiencing rugby in Japan with Black Rams Tokyo, the 27-year-old is ready to get stuck into a new career as a kicker - and the NFL is calling.
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Or rather, his agent called. Speaking exclusively to Mirror Sport, Mallinder said: “In the summer, I was taking some time off. I went on some holidays, did a bike challenge, did a stage of the Tour de France with a close friend. I came home and received a call from my agent who’d heard about the opportunity, and he knew I’d be interested.
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“I had two weeks before the trial at Loughborough and ordered myself a ball off the internet. I’ve watched NFL before, been to a live game before and watched plenty on Sundays, but my understanding of kicking was pretty limited in terms of what I actually needed to do. I ordered this ball, a replica, and it didn’t go anywhere - it was like kicking a rock.
“I felt like a kid again, going from this professional environment where I’ve been for years to a trial where I didn’t know what I was doing - I just wanted to do well. I went home pretty happy, and since then I’ve been training with proper balls and equipment. I also received some proper input in terms of my technique, and that’s helped me massively in terms of gaining a better understanding of the three skills: punting, kickoff and field goals.
“I feel competent and confident with all three. Everyone needs to do kickoffs to show they have a big leg, but I’m really enjoying getting stuck into punts and field goals. Eventually, there might be a point where I have to prioritise one but I feel like I’ve got the ability to do both. Whilst I’ve kicked all my life, this is like learning a new language and I love it.”
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Harry Mallinder played for Northampton Saints between 2013 and 2021 (Getty Images)When asked if his rugby background could assist him pull off fake plays in the NFL, Mallinder’s eyes lit up: “Who are the guys best at punt fakes? They’re athletes. I’m used to passing the ball and accelerating into holes so I hope that offers a different side and I get to show my different skillset. I’ve never been a specialist; before I had to run, jump, catch, tackle, dodge and kick. Showing I can do something a bit different will hopefully help.”
While he suggested there are some similarities between kicking and ball striking between rugby union and American football, Mallinder admitted the differences are surprisingly stark. The 27-year-old suggested punting is the most similar in terms of technique to rugby, whereas field goals are kicked off the turf after being held compared to off a tee.
“There’s transferable skills, for sure. The natural leg power and leg speed is a starting point, and then from a mental standpoint - kicking in front of tens of thousands in high-pressure moments where your team depend on you - is similar,” Mallinder continued.
“But technically it’s so different. The ball itself is harder and the sweet spot is smaller so you have to get the angle of your foot right - it hurts if you get it wrong!”
As surprising a move it may appear to rugby fans, a switch to American football is not totally random in the eyes of Mallinder. He has been a fan of the sport for a few years, closely following the NFL like many do on these shores: a fantasy football fanatic.
He first came across the NFL at Northampton, where he joined his teammates’ fantasy football league complete with a draft day at the local pizza joint. The group would meet up on Sundays to watch Red Zone, although Mallinder is quick to insist he was a rookie who needed Google to find the right players to pick.
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He landed former Dallas Cowboys - and current New England Patriots - running back Ezekiel Elliott, which hilariously influenced Mallinder’s celebration after a try against the Leicester Tigers. He said: “Zeke does the feeding celebration so when I scored - it was a terrible try, to be honest - I ran over to my teammates and imitated his celebration. No one else had a clue what I was doing but the guys in the group knew what it was all about.”
Harry Mallinder is looking to use his rugby experience across the pond to get into the NFL (Getty Images)Mallinder is ultimately hoping to follow in the footsteps of Cowboys rookie kicker Brandon Aubrey, who was named a First-team All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl after leading the NFL in scoring. The 27-year-old was drafted to Toronto FC ahead of the 2017 MLS season but he decided to transition to American football after he attended Notre Dame.
The IPP poses a fresh opportunity for Mallinder to redefine his career. He understands the weight of the chance before him - and it’s not going to go to waste. Certainly not for want of trying.
“This is a unique opportunity and I’m grateful for the fact I’ve been exposed to it and have the best people supporting me. I was in Boston last week kicking at the Patriots facility… it’s just amazing. Memories I’ll have for a lifetime, but I want to make more.”