Tuesday 23 May 2017 21:02, UK
London native Jermaine Eluemunor admits it would be a dream come true to take to the field when the Baltimore Ravens play the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley on September 24.
Eluemunor, who was born in Chalk Farm, was selected by the Ravens in the fifth round (159th overall) of this year's draft after playing college football at Texas A&M.
The 22-year-old, who has the flexibility to play tackle or guard, has set his sights on cracking Baltimore's 46-man game-day active roster for Week 3, when the Ravens and the Jaguars kick off the 2017 International Series, in one of four games to be played in London this year.
"Yeah, you know, I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about that because, you know, it's Wembley stadium," Eluemunor told NFL.com.
"I grew up watching England play in that stadium and watching the FA Cup played in that stadium. Getting to be on the same field as players like Wayne Rooney and David Beckham and Michael Owen, you know players I grew up watching on the England squad.
"That's going to be something, [to play] in front of all those fans in my home town. I got to work to get there. I'm not there yet and I still got work to do but that's what I'm working towards and it's one of my motivations."
Eluemunor, who went to the same school as the Miliband brothers and Joe Cole, only took up the sport having been inspired by the first regular-season NFL game to be staged in London a decade ago.
He quickly became hooked and moved to New Jersey along with his father at the age of 14 to pursue his dream - one which was realised when he has selected in the NFL draft.
"It kind of hit home because I went from a boy playing in a park in Finsbury Park in London to playing with the Baltimore Ravens at Rookie Mini Camp. It was something," Eluemunor said.
"Thinking back to the journey, it was like how I saw my jersey for the first time with my name and number on the back - that hit home too because it's a process that I went through and all the sacrifices.
"Me and my dad moving here, sacrificing a bunch. You know, risking it all. Going for it and not looking back. It was something and it's an experience."
