Sammis Reyes Reportedly Makes WFT Roster; Will Be 1st Chile-Born Player in NFL
August 31, 2021
Undrafted free agent Sammis Reyes reportedly will be making the Washington Football Team's 53-man roster, per ESPN's John Keim, which will make him the first Chile-born player in NFL history.
He'll join Logan Thomas and John Bates as the team's tight ends.
Reyes, 25, has pretty limited experience playing football. Per Keim, he practiced with his Florida high school team for a week during his junior season before deciding to stick with basketball.
He then played two seasons of college basketball at Tulane and one season at Loyola of New Orleans. He decided to pursue a potential football career in Jan. 2020
Reyes went undrafted but joined the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program and worked out at Florida’s pro day, running a 4.6 40-yard dash and posting a 40-inch vertical. Not too shabby for a 6'5" and 260-pound tight end prospect.
Reyes' story is a pretty incredible one. He came to the United States by himself at the age of 14 to play high school basketball after making the Chilean under-15 team. His parents would send him $50 a month for food, per Greg Bishop of SI.com. He taught himself English by watching movies with subtitles and listening to rap music.
While his dreams of playing basketball didn't pan out, it appears he may have a bright future in the NFL. Per Keim, the WFT's coaches "consider Reyes arguably their best blocker. He's still raw in the passing game, but Washington did not want to risk losing him and always viewed him as someone with long-term potential."
Thomas is atop the depth chart after his breakout 2020 season (72 catches for 670 yards and six scores). But Reyes has clearly carved out a role for himself in Washington.