\n<\/p>\n
Smyth secured his first Saints contract last March after impressing in the NFL Combine, which was a series of trials for aspiring American Footballers.<\/p>\n
As an Ulster Under-20 Championship winner with Down in 2021, Smyth had a bright goalkeeping future in Gaelic football, the sport he had played his entire life.<\/p>\n
However, after deciding to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL, he started to train with Tadhg Leader, a kicking coach for the NFL international player pathway (IPP) programme.<\/p>\n
Along with Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan, Wicklow’s Mark Jackson and former Connacht rugby player Darragh Leader, Smyth attended the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.<\/p>\n
Having impressed at the Combine and at pro-day trials, Smyth was invited to the Saints’ training facility before signing a contract.<\/p>\n
While he later missed out on a place in the Saints’ roster, practice squad members remain on the books of their original teams in a pool of players that will continue to train and are on hand should injuries occur.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n