College football recruiting never sleeps, and that's especially true in the year 2026. One recruit that is making headlines is Neff Giwa, a 6-foot-8, 300-pound 20-year-old rugby star from the Republic of Ireland. That's right—Giwa has never even played a down of college football.
According to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, interest from the likes of Miami, South Carolina and Tennessee came rolling in for him shortly after this video of Giwa made the rounds on social media:
This 6’8 300lb OT @NeffGiwa came from rugby.. he will be a 1st round pick one day! Remember this tweet!!!
— Brandon Collier (@BCollierPPI) March 17, 2026
He’s big, athletic, tough, and work hard to be great!! I would take him at any college in America!!! Special talent , work ethic and character pic.twitter.com/qYfGyJOE0B
The person posting that video is Brandon Collier, who runs Germany-based Premier Prospects International (PPI). Collier played defensive tackle at UMass, and now runs the program that has helped put, per Feldman's reporting, 100 international athletes on college football rosters.
Giwa visited South Carolina and Tennessee this past weekend, and he holds offers from both schools.
“He’s so tall, but he actually had good leverage,” Collier said via The Athletic of Giwa. “He’s also got this toughness about him. He’s like a fighter. He’s got something inside him that I haven’t seen from many kids. Some of the linemen, they’re very athletic, but they played sports that were softer. He played rugby. He was physical as heck.”
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According to 247Sports, he also holds offers from Miami, North Carolina, SMU and James Madison. Collier visited South Carolina this past weekend:
Meet the Nigerian Freak show @NeffGiwa While all of these Tackles at the combine have these “short” 33 inch arms here you go a kid with 37 inch arms that’s 6’7.5 300lbs with feet like a skill player and tough like a fight!
— Brandon Collier (@BCollierPPI) March 24, 2026
Great day at @GamecockFB 👀 @PPIRecruits pic.twitter.com/EQFfnRtG8u
Feldman additionally reported that South Carolina was hopeful that Giwa would cancel his visit to Miami after the Gamecocks officially offered him.
But on Tuesday, Giwa was spotted on-site in Coral Gables, and even Canes head coach Mario Crisobal:
Great time in Miami with @NeffGiwa big love from @CanesFootball @coach_cristobal pic.twitter.com/fPHJsUt6jk
— Brandon Collier (@BCollierPPI) March 24, 2026
International rugby players transitioning to professional football has been done before. The best example by far is Jordan Mailata, who was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He became a starter in Philadelphia by the 2021 season, and won a Super Bowl with the Eagles in 2024.
There's no telling yet if Giwa's journey will have that type of storybook ending. But there is obviously some big-time interest from Shane Beamer and several other big-time college football coaches.
South Carolina's 2027 class currently has just three members. A verbal commitment from Giwa would be huge for this Gamecocks' class.