Beggan and Jackson can still make it to the NFL – Leader

The door to the NFL remains very much open for Rory Beggan and Mark Jackson, according to kicking coach Tadhg Leader.

Leader established the pathway that saw the pair, along with Charlie Smyth and Darragh Leader, kick at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis in February and eventually led to Down native Smyth signing with the New Orleans Saints.

And Leader, who heads up Leader Kicking, suggested Smyth’s signing may have set “unrealistic expectations,” pointing out that punters and kickers are usually signed after the draft, which will take place in Detroit from April 25-27.

“I think maybe what happened with Charlie might have set unrealistic expectations at home here,” Leader said.

“It’s very common to get signed after the draft as a kicker or punter, that is pretty normal. The guys that get signed pre-draft are generally proven veterans who teams want to snap up straight away and they are the guys who up front get handed all this crazy money.

“What happened with Charlie, the time line was rapid. He’s young and has a lot of ability so the Saints jumped on him which they were right to do but most guys will get signed after the draft and that I think is going to be the case for Mark and Rory.

“So they are firmly still in the race and they are good enough as well but it’s a waiting game which is really tough. Rory went 100pc at his Pro Day didn’t miss a kick but hopefully it is good enough, it might not be good enough because it’s the world biggest league and the standard is exceptional.

“And he is exceptional. But there’s another 50, 60, 70, guys around the world who are exceptional and only 32 of those will end up with a job. It’s tough but the door is still open. After the draft, five days to a week after the draft we’ll have a much better lay of the land.”

Leader also backed Smyth to win the job as New Orleans’ starting kicker this summer. He goes up against Blake Grupe who is set to enter his second season after making 30 of 37 field-goal attempts as a rookie, with a long of 55 yards.

Leader was speaking as the Pittsburgh Steelers hosted a kicking clinic in the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown in Dublin yesterday. Beggan and Jackson and other aspiring NFL kickers and punters performed in front of watching Steelers coaches. Jackson was chosen by the coaches as best on the day.