17-year-old Jude Colvin has become the latest lucky Scot to join the prestigious NFL Academy in London, an elite American football program dedicated to nurturing student-athletes from across the globe.
The NFL Academy creates pathways for these aspiring athletes to pursue college football opportunities in the United States, providing them with access to world-class training facilities, education, and nutrition in partnership with Loughborough University.
This year alone, the academy has seen nine students sign with Division 1 U.S. colleges, highlighting its success in helping pupils realise their full potential both on and off the field.
Colvin, who previously showcased his talent with the Edinburgh Napier Knights and earned a spot in Great Britain’s Under-19 squad earlier this year, is eager to follow in the footsteps of a growing contingent of Scottish stars in the NFL, including David Ojabo, Jamie Gillan, Graham Gano, and Praise Olatoke.
Speaking exclusively to The Herald from the £1.2bn Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the first day of his two-year apprenticeship, the budding running-back reflected on this "surreal" opportunity, expressing his excitement for the journey ahead as he aims to make his mark in American football.
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"It's still surreal to me," the teen sensation admitted. "Even thinking that a Scottish running-back can make it into the NFL Academy, it's just surreal and it's something that I hold in my heart dearly.
"Being able to come down from Scotland, my mum and dad allowing me to leave home, coming down and spending the next two years here at the Academy as a Scottish running-back and hopefully make it to Division one is honestly surreal. It's amazing."
It was only Colvin's first day of the latest chapter of his career when we spoke, but you could already see the pride from the beaming smile on his face.
However, he's not afraid to acknowledge that the whole experience - even within 24 hours - is one that he will have to cherish.
"I've only been down here for a day," he confirmed. "For the first day we actually trained at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the first training session of camp. So, even training at Tottenham's stadium is crazy.
"This is one of the home places that Trevor Lawrence has stepped onto, Baltimore Ravens team has stepped onto, the Miami Dolphins have stepped onto, it's just like damn 'this is it'. This is the place to come to when you are playing in the United Kingdom and you are wanting to play American football. It's going to be amazing."
Colvin may have been destined to be an NFL superstar one day, but his journey actually began in rugby before unforeseen circumstances made him quit the sport. From that point on, he hasn't second guessed himself.
He explained: "The one thing that got me wanting to play NFL is I stopped playing rugby because of certain reasons, and my brother told me that there's a team that he was playing for, the Napier Knights, and there's a youth team for Under-16s and Under-18s. He said I should go along to the session and try it out, and ever since that first training session, I have loved it ever since and never looked back."
The Edinburgh-raised prodigy boasts super high standards and he's already channelling hero, Christian McCafferty, who was recently selected as the NFL's top running-back after transforming the San Francisco 49ers offence from "good" to "great" since being acquired in 2022. He gained 3,233 yards and scored 31 touch downs during 27 games with his current club, something Colvin enthusiastically takes inspiration from.
"I'd say the main guy that I've looked up to definitely has to be Christian McCaffery, known as CMC," Colvin noted, when probed whether he has a specific hero he looks up to.
"He's amazing. He's one of the best running-backs in NFL and he also won offensive Player of the Year last year. That just says everything. He is one of the best running-backs out there and he's someone that I really look up to as an American football player, 100 per cent."
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The sport is transitioning and there have been more talented players make the leap across the Atlantic in recent years, with that, competition is rife, and Colvin knows he will have to tackle each challenge that arises on route to reaching his ultimate goal. Making it in the United States.
"From what I've seen, American football have transferred the contact level, so being able to transfer those skills (from rugby) and use it to my ability when it comes to playing is very good," Colvin said.
"I'm expecting to face challenges along the way but that's what happens when you are at this kind of level. You are going to have to embrace challenges and just rise above them. I know I've got to keep on going no matter what."
