Jets to sign Australian rugby player as tight end

The New York Jets keep casting more interesting characters into the mix after it was announced that the team has signed Australian rugby player Hayden Smith, according to his personal coach.

The Jets haven't made a formal announcement yet, but the 6-7, 240-pound bruiser is projected to be a tight end.

"Hayden Smith has signed with the Jets!" Smith's personal coach Tim Brewster tweeted on Tuesday.  "Really thinks this guy's upside in the NFL is huge!"

I thought the Jets already had an inexperienced tight end who has a great upside— he goes by the name of Tim Tebow.

Brewster— who used to coach at the University of Minnesota— said the Jets have signed the raw talent after Smith had worked out for other NFL teams including the Eagles, Redskins, Saints and Cowboys.

The 26-year-old Smith played Division II basketball at Metropolitan State College of Denver before making the U.S. national rugby team.

The Jets have already had an Aussie on their roster in the past— punter Ben Graham (2005-07) who played Australian Rules Football before kicking mulligrubers for Gang Green.

Smith, will presumably be in camp for the offseason workouts that start on April 16.

"A lot of coaches shy away from guys who haven't played the game, because it is an exhausting process," Brewster told The Daily Telegraph of Australia this week.  "To me, that's the exciting part.  Taking a piece of clay like that.  And I am going to tell you Hayden Smith is one beautiful piece of clay. Just mould him into what you want him to be."

Funny, Rex Ryan already has a 240-pound lump of clay from Denver to mould.

I just hope Smith doesn't confuse a huddle with a scrum and— by the way— is it going to be called Smith-mania or Hayden-sanity?