Like mad professors working on an exotic experiment in a science lab, the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff are ready to toss Jarryd Hayne into a test tube filled with rampaging giants.
"I'm anxious to see him," 49ers offensive coordinator Geep Chryst said with a big smile on Monday.
After working with the former Parramatta Eels NRL star since April, the NFL team's training camp enters a new, important phase on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).
It's the first time the 49ers players will put on helmets and pads for workouts and while most of his teammates have been donning the gear since they were young boys, it'll be the 27-year-old from Sydney's first real experience.
Chryst told reporters they'll be dropping Hayne in the deep end to see how he performs.
The 49ers have been drumming it into the Australian to lower his running style.
As a running back, Hayne will find himself charging at holes and attempting to avoid 140kg defensive linemen desperate to secure a 49ers contract.
On September 1 the team will cut its roster from 90 to 75 and then to 53 on Sept 5.
The giant linemen's livelihoods are on the line, so if Hayne presents a big, easy target by running upright he might prove irresistible for a huge hit.
"I hope he keeps his pads down as he runs through the line," Chryst said.
Hayne, who sits at the bottom of the 49ers' running back depth chart, likely has his best chance of making the team as a punt returner.
Chryst, head coach Jim Tomsula and the rest of the staff are jumping out of their skins about Hayne's potential, his natural talent and dedication to learning the sport.
"He's been phenomenal," Chryst said.
"He's catching punts and you have to think it's a different shaped ball than what he's used to.
"He has great hand-eye co-ordination.
"He's really made strides in picking up blitzes - defensive recognition.
"It's really been amazing."
Hayne is ready for the punishment, noting on the weekend "I'm sure there will be times there I get smashed", but he agrees with the coaches every step is new territory for him.
"The sound that pads make, I think it will be good for him to hear in the blocking game," Chryst said.
"He's such a great natural athlete, we'll see where this goes."
As for how Tuesday's helmet and pads practice will go, Chryst sounds like he will pull out a deck chair and get a bucket of popcorn and sit back and enjoy the Hayne experiment.
"I think there'll be maybe a humorous moment and then there'll be a 'wow' moment and it might be all in the same practice," Chryst laughed.
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