Coyle is starting his journey to be an American trailblazer in rugby union, throwing away his pads and helmet to pursue a long-shot career change in Canberra.

It is the reverse situation for former NRL star Hayne, who quit the Parramatta Eels last year to chase a contract with the San Francisco 49ers.

Had things panned out differently for Coyle he would be catching passes from NFL Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Tom Brady or Drew Brees.

But the 24-year-old has swapped 70,000-strong crowds at Arizona State University to see if he can latch onto a Matt Toomua or Nic White bullet at Brumbies training.

"I've never been one to step down from a challenge. I feel unbelievably blessed to be able to come out here," Coyle said.

"I heard about [Hayne] back in the States. It was about the time I was getting back into rugby so I was curious. I guess it is reverse, he's putting the pads on and I'm taking them off. I feel a bit more free on the field.

"It doesn't surprise me that rugby athletes want to make that transition, it's easier for them and I think Jarryd will do a great job for the 49ers."

The Brumbies found Arizona graduate Coyle on a recruiting mission to the US last year.

He is part of the academy system and the 191 centimetre, 102 kilogram back-rower will play with the Gungahlin Eagles in a bid to impress coach Stephen Larkham.

In his junior year at Arizona, he broke the single-season record for receivers and scored 12 touchdowns in his college career.

That had NFL franchises interested, and the Houston Texans came knocking with a deal before they cut him from the roster on two separate occasions because of a shoulder injury.

The Brady-led New England Patriots and Brees' New Orleans Saints also tried to sign him, but the cut-throat world of the NFL and injuries saw Coyle left on the scrap heap.

That is when Coyle returned to rugby after his roommate introduced him to the game, and now he has ambitions of being the first American in Australian Super Rugby and breaking into the national team.

"I was picked up as a free agent by the Texans and that was a dream come true," Coyle said. "I don't have any bad feelings towards any [NFL] franchise, it just didn't work out. I went back to the drawing board.

"Rugby is new to me and I'm picking things up as I go. I had my shot at [gridiron], but it didn't seem like I was productive enough. The Brumbies gave me an opportunity and I love the feeling of progress.

The Arizona State University Sun Devils regularly draw 70,000 fans at Frank Kush Stadium, also known as the "House of Heat".

Coyle will swap that for a handful of spectators at suburban grounds around Canberra as he works his way through Gungahlin's ranks before hoping to have a crack at the Brumbies.

"I love the fact in rugby I can get the ball any time rather than specific plays ... I'm a student here," Coyle said. "I'd love to pave the way for a lot of other people in the States to play rugby.

"My agent is still working for me back home. But I didn't bring my helmet or pads [to Australia] because I wanted to do something new and challenge myself without distractions."

Coyle is already getting attention in the Brumbies' gym, setting impressive vertical leap and 10-metre sprint benchmarks, which puts him ahead of all of the club's Super Rugby forwards.

He spends his spare time studying rugby and Gungahlin coach Dan Atkins has no doubt he can develop into a Super Rugby player.

"He's explosive, he's got that raw rugby talent," Atkins said. "He's a sponge when it comes to information, he soaks it up and wants to learn everything.

"He's got a few tough weeks ahead of him, but if the Brumbies train him right through he would be a definite player that could crack it, he's athletic and when you ask him to push, he just does it."