Gerhard De Beer walked on to the University of Arizona football team as an offensive lineman in 2013. However, football wasn't all de Beer did; at the University of Arizona, he was also known for his outstanding track career through which he was the 2015 PAC-12 discus throw champion and holds the fourth-longest throw in Wildcat history. Since college, de Beer has spent time in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills, Greenbay Packers, and Indianapolis Colts. In his interview, de Beer talks about his experience coming to play football in the United States, the international recruiting process, how he adapted culturally, and the best advice he can pass on to future recruits. 

You were originally a track athlete in South Africa and had never played American football. Can you walk me through this process of coming to the University of Arizona?

I was on the international radar quite a bit for track and field and had a few dozen schools contact me about competing for their colleges. The University of Arizona was the only school that had a men's track program that would also let me walk on to the football team.

What was your previous exposure to American football? Why did you want to go play in the U.S.?

It was a pretty big wake-up call to see how intense college sports were in the U.S.

Do you think being a track athlete helped you pick up football quickly? What was your experience like learning football at that level?

I think the one thing that helped me more was the fact that I played rugby when I was younger.

What was your experience adapting to a new culture?

Adapting athletically was probably the easiest part…Socially was the hardest part by far.

Were there any other obstacles you faced with international recruiting before competing in the U.S.?

I had some academic requirements to be eligible for a university in America. If people do think they are interested in doing this, they need to do a little bit of research as to what they need in order to be allowed to enter an American school.

Fun Fact: Gerhard de Beer ate 8,000 calories per day to make his college team. He gained 80 pounds to make the football team as an offensive lineman.

Image Credit: @debeer67/Instagram