Former NFL draftee Cassh Maluia chases USA Eagles debut at World Rugby Nations Cup

Cassh Maluia was selected by the New England Patriots with the 204th pick of the 2020 NFL Draft — a reward, he says, for years of discipline that began with giving up soda and doing extra push-ups at the age of 12. Now, nearly five years after his NFL career ended, the 27-year-old is chasing a second sporting dream: a debut cap for the USA Eagles.

Maluia, who had never played rugby union before a close friend persuaded him to try the sport after he was waived by the Tennessee Titans in August 2021, has been named as one of seven uncapped players in the USA squad for the World Rugby Nations Cup. The midfielder has already featured in a Major League Rugby Championship game, a rapid rise for someone who did not play any organised sport until his freshman year at Paramount High School in California.

“Being with the USA, it’s another huge step towards completing the full package of being a rugby player,” Maluia told RugbyPass. “Hopefully, along that journey comes a cap in the World Cup.”

His path to the elite level of two different sports is striking. After taking up American football late, Maluia went on to make more than 195 tackles across four years with the Wyoming Cowboys before going undrafted — a feat achieved by only an estimated 0.016 per cent of NCAA prospects — at the 2020 NFL Draft. He spent time under legendary Patriots head coach Bill Belichick before his brief stint with the Titans brought his NFL journey to a close.

“It was during Covid so I was pretty much alone when I got the call,” Maluia recalled of draft day. “I FaceTimed my family straight away and that’s when things got really emotional. Definitely blessed for that.”

With a World Cup ambition already forming in his mind, Maluia is focused on the immediate task. “I think I speak for everyone — everyone would like to participate or go to the World Cup,” he said. “But for me, it’s more so just working on the near future goals, working on my current skills, and just being present with the team.”