Former NRL star Val Holmes starts testing at NFL ‘Pro Day’

Valentine Holmes’ pursuit of an NFL career has hit a crucial stage with the former NRL star working out for NFL scouts today. WATCH HOLMES IN ACTION

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Valentine Holmes’ pursuit of an NFL career has hit a crucial stage with the former NRL star working out for NFL scouts in Florida.

Holmes and the other six international athletes in the NFL’s Pathway Program on Monday had their arms, hands and wingspans measured before they embarked on speed and agility skills.

The Pro Day is being held at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ $US32 million air- conditioned indoor practice facility.

Here’s Valentine Holmes over the 40 yard dash. pic.twitter.com/mlcSbNSbJl

— Charles Croucher (@ccroucher9) April 1, 2019

If Holmes impresses at the workout an NFL team could sign him to a free agent contract.

He could also be assigned to a practice squad with an AFC East division team. They are the Super Bowl champions New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets.

Valentine Holmes is being measured before his audition in front of representatives from all 32 NFL teams. Details from Tampa on @TheTodayShow and @9NewsAUS pic.twitter.com/PPbMhNuyn7

— Charles Croucher (@ccroucher9) April 1, 2019

4.45 I’m told... which is pretty impressive and much quicker than he ran last time

— Charles Croucher (@ccroucher9) April 1, 2019

“I’m confident in myself,” Holmes told AAP in a recent interview. Holmes has spent the past three months with the other Pathway players at the IMG Academy in Florida getting a crash course in American football. The former NRL, Queensland and Australian rugby league backline star has stacked on 3kg of muscle, lost body fat and followed a weight room regime focused on short bursts of explosive power.

And now for the sake of pressure - Holmes returning punts pic.twitter.com/TSmNVe8JHP

— Charles Croucher (@ccroucher9) April 1, 2019

The 40-yard dash is a benchmark test for NFL hopefuls, particularly a speedster like Holmes who has been pencilled in as a running back, wide-receiver and returner.

“This sport is based more on speed in the one to 40 yard range so all of the training and routes we run have been focused on that,” Holmes said. “There’s also been a lot of work in the weight room with jump squats and anything to do with exploding and jumping off the ground, vertical jumps.”

Valentine Holmes tests his agility in Florida. Picture: Angus Mordant

Holmes, former British Lions rugby try-scoring whiz Christian Wade and Brazilian judo champion Durval Neto are among the seven athletes selected for this year’s Pathway Program.

If they are not signed as free agents they will likely be assigned to an NFL team’s non-playing practice squad.

Former NRL player Valentine Holmes is seen during a "Pro Day" as part of the NFL's International Pathway program on Monday, April 1, 2019. Holmes and six other international athletes were picked for the NFL?s International Pathway program were measured, performed speed and agility drills and caught balls thrown by a quarterback. (AAP Image/Peter Mitchell) NO ARCHIVING

This year NFL teams in the AFC East division - the Super Bowl champion Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets - will receive the Pathway players for their practice squads.

Former South Sydney Rabbitohs junior giant Jordan Mailata was in the Pathway program at IMG last year.

His size, speed and work ethic were so impressive the Philadelphia Eagles selected him in the NFL Draft.