NFL combine planned for Sydney

San Francisco 49ers running back Jarryd Hayne (38) runs the ball away from Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Vince Williams (98). Photo / AP

Planning is underway for an American Football combine in Sydney next year which is hoping to attract some of the biggest US scouts and coaches and uncover the next Jarryd Hayne.

Organisers plan to scour the country to unearth diamonds in the rough who could make it in the NFL, from rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules and soccer .

Australian former NFL player Colin Scotts is putting together the event which is expected to be held at ANZ Stadium in August.

Players will be tested for speed, strength and agility in front of coaches and scouts from American and European franchises.

Interest in Australian athletes has spiked after former Parramatta and NSW State of Origin star Hayne was signed by the San Francisco 49er this year.

Several fellow NRL stars have expressed a desire to follow suit and South Sydney prop Tom Burgess has travelled to the US to trial with the New York Giants and the Buffalo Bills.

Scotts, the first player to be awarded a football scholarship at an American University and former St Louis Cardinals tight end, said there had been a huge upturn in the number of promising young Australian athletes expressing a desire to try out for NFL teams.

"Everybody's got a dream and every father's ringing me up saying 'My son wants to play in the NFL'," Scotts said.

The combine is still being finalised and organisers are in talks for funding and support from the NSW government.

Scotts said they hoped to hold 12 smaller combines in regional areas such as Dubbo and Alice Springs ahead of the Sydney event.

With an interest in American football at a high in the country, Scotts said he was targeting athletes from all sports.

It's hoped that the combine will coincide with the American college match between University of Hawaii and University of California at ANZ Stadium on August 27.

"I just think it's a really smart thing to do because there's obviously diamonds out there," Scotts said.

"If someone's been missed, we'll give them a crack. "The scouts will come because of Jarryd and so will coaches."