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Powerhouse Canadian 7s player Zaruba gets second shot at NFL
By Ian Cameron
Canadian Sevens player Adam Zaruba is getting a second shot at the NFL, having signed a futures contract with Philadelphia Eagles.
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The 6’5, 120kg Canadian will be putting his rugby career on ice to the purse the chance of making the Eagles roster and will attend training camps with the franchise throughout 2018.
While certainly no household name in rugby circles, his one-handed ‘NFL’ style take during the HSBC Sevens World Series in 2016 caught the eye of agents in both the NFL and the CFL (Canadian Football League).
Zaruba is no stranger to the North American code, having played Canadian Football in High School and briefly in university. This is his second involvement with the Eagles, having attended a training camp in 2017 before being released.
“It’s been a dream of mine to do this for quite some time. Rugby has been my focus for the last four years, but I’ve always wanted to come back and give football a shot and this opportunity is awesome,” Zaruba told reporters in July. “Athletically, I know I can shape up and do it. It’s going to be getting in the book and learning everything and making sure that I can adapt to all of the systems. But I’m feeling good, every day keep getting better and see what happens.”
According to the Eagles’ website back in July Zaruba “had two catches for 17 yards in the preseason but spent the time learning the nuances of the game.
“The 6-5, 265-pound Zaruba now gets an offseason to train with the team.”
The North Vancouver native had been playing for Capilano RFC being getting drafted into the national Sevens programme in 2014. He appeared 17 times for Canada 7s, but despite his size has not capped in fifteens. Although he’s been handed this second opportunity with the Eagles in the NFL, his CFL rights are owned by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
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Despite his size he has clocked a 4.49 40 yard dash, suggesting his athletic ability is certainly good enough for the NFL.
