Man from Basingstoke selected in NFL draft
Travis Clayton will be making the switch from North Hampshire to Detroit to play for the Buffalo Bills
Last updated 29th Apr 2024
A player with eighth tier rugby union side Basingstoke has been selected by the Buffalo Bills in the final round of the NFL Draft.
23-year-old winger Travis Clayton was the 221st overall pick in the seventh round in Detroit.
Clayton has never played American football competitively, but he could feature as an offensive lineman.
The six-foot seven athlete, who played rugby for hometown club Basingstoke, was selected from the NFL's international player pathway programme as an offensive lineman.
In a social media post, Clayton thanked fans in the UK for the support he has had on his journey.
He said: "Just want to shout out all the UK fans for sticking by me and supporting me and look, I've made it to the NFL and now it's time to represent and show the rest of the world exactly why UK athletes should play in the NFL."
Clayton recorded his 40-yard dash in 4.79 seconds during the draft combine, which the Bills said was faster than all offensive lineman have recorded over the last 10 years.
It comes after Rees-Zammit signed for Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs in March.
Rees-Zammit, who announced his decision to leave rugby union in January, impressed the Chiefs during his time on the NFL's international player pathway, with running back and wide receiver his designated positions.
The former Gloucester, Wales and British and Irish Lions wing stunned the world of rugby in January by quitting the sport in an attempt to secure a contract with an NFL team in 2024.