Did you hear about the NFL prospect who has GAA to thank for his skills?

Fordham University kicker Patrick Murray says his GAA background has helped him to be in with a chance of getting a position on a major NFL team.

We’ve seen lads making it big Down Under in the Aussie Rules thanks to their GAA heritage and there was once rumours that Ronan O’Gara was heading to the US to play football for the Miami Dolphins, but that’s as close to the NFL as an Irishman has ever gotten… until now.

Patrick Murray, a 21-year-old from New Jersey, was born to two Irish parents back in 1991 and now the college kicker and punter looks set to star for one of the biggest teams in the NFL. Okay, so he’s not ‘Irish’ as such, but we’re sure the Irish-American community won’t mind us claiming him as our own (it’s usually the other way around).

Speaking to Damond Talbot of NFL Draft Zone, Murray said: “I grew up watching my Dad and uncles, Ciaran Murray and Brendan Murray, and cousin, Aedin Murray, who were all national calibre Gaelic football players in Ireland.

“I try to watch as much Gaelic football as I can, it is my first love. I bleed Green, White, and Orange. Gaelic football players don’t get paid to play, you play to represent your county that is more important than earning money.”

If all goes to plan, Murray could be earning himself a whole load of money as the starting wage for rookies in the NFL is over $400,000 while the top earners can make anything up to $2million per year – and that’s not including endorsements.

Murray will now have to kick and punt his socks off until April when he’ll finally discover his fate in the 2013 Draft. We wouldn’t be surprised to see the young Irish-American lad being picked early on, as he closes out his college career with 186 punts for 7,985 yards (an average of 42.9 yards/punt) the second best average in Fordham history, and 38 field goals, sixth best all-time at Fordham.

Pic by Bruce Gilbert via Fordham University