Former Bradford Bulls player Jacob Smillie rebuilding his career in rugby after NFL adventure

Jacob Smillie, who cites Halifax, Bradford Bulls and Swinton Lions among his former league clubs, is looking for a route back into the game, either with a league club or in XV-man union.

He returns emboldened by his experience of trying to make it as an American football player, a one-year journey that took him to Tottenham, Germany and Poland. "There’s not many rugby players who have made it to the NFL Combine,” Smillie told The Yorkshire Post, about his experience of working out in front of scouts at a big international event at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last October.

YouTube clips of Smillie’s pace earned him an invite to the combine as a running back and he clocked the fourth fastest 40-yard dash of the 52 invited athletes. He also impressed in other drills set out to test a player’s durability for the National Football League.

"In order for an international running back to stand out against guys in America, you’ve got to be clocking outstanding times and numbers,” said Smillie, pictured.

"Unfortunately I wasn’t selected, but they gave me good feedback, how to improve for next time around. It wasn’t a case of ‘no that’s it, you’re done’, they gave me stuff to improve on and what would make me stand out.”

Smillie took the information on board and kept his American football dream alive.

"It was disappointing, but I didn’t have time to get disappointed,” he said. “I’m a hard worker, so I knuckled down on the stuff I needed to improve.

"I hired a sprint coach and then got an opportunity to try the Canadian Football League global combine in March.

"My times were faster, my bench press was better. Everyone at that combine got selected to go to the CFL draft, unfortunately I went undrafted, so I ended up playing professionally in Europe.

"I did a mini-camp with a European League of Football team Stuttgart Surge, and ended up signing for a team in the Polish league.”

After a year though, and approaching his mid-20s, he accepts the NFL dream is over.

"Now is the right time to come back into the game of rugby and settle down in my career,” said Smillie, who played a game with Wigan Warriors Reserves in the autumn.

"I gave myself a timeframe with the NFL. I feel as though I did a big thing going to the combine, there’s not many from rugby league that have had the opportunity.

"Now I’m just focusing on playing at the highest level of rugby possible. The best thing for me is to keep training hard and see what opportunities come about.”

He has spoken to a few clubs but is keeping his options open.

"I put everything into trying to make it in the NFL and I’ll continue to do the same with rugby,” he said. “I don’t party, I don’t drink, I train hard. I’ve got what it takes to be a good winger.

"I’m staying positive, I feel I’ve got good attributes, I’m a good athlete, I’m a good rugby player, I believe I will get an opportunity.”