Jarryd Hayne's NFL dream is about to become a reality.
On Tuesday (Wednesday AEST) the former Parramatta Eels, NSW and Australia rugby league star will drive to the San Francisco 49ers' state-of-the-art $US1.3 billion Levi's Stadium for his first official day with the NFL team.
The 49ers will begin their off-season program, with many of the team's 90 players attending.
"Jarryd will have a few butterflies," Brian Baldinger, an 11-year NFL offensive lineman with the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts, told AAP on Monday.
Hayne won't be the only new 49er with nerves in his belly.
There will be plenty of other new faces at the facility after the 49ers underwent a significant makeover following their failure to make the playoffs last season.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh, most of the position coaches and numerous key players, including veteran running back Frank Gore, have departed.
Jim Tomsula, the 49ers' former defensive line coach, was elevated to head coach and joining Hayne are new recruits including former Baltimore Ravens wide-receiver Torrey Smith, Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett and a running back Hayne has crossed paths with before, former Detroit Lion Reggie Bush.
Tomsula is expected to start the day by addressing the team, remind the players about the rich history of the 49ers and lay out his goals and expectations.
Baldinger, a commentator on the NFL Network and FOX Sports, says an NFL locker room can be cut-throat, with 90 players fighting to make the 49ers' 53-man roster announced on the eve of the 2015-16 season in September.
But, he expects Hayne's new teammates to be intrigued by the Australian because they'd know how he turned his back on millions of NRL dollars for a shot at the NFL.
"There is some cut-throat there," he said.
"When I was a rookie and in my second year I was looking around thinking everybody was competition for me so I was on every day.
"But his story will be intriguing to other players and certainly intriguing to the 49ers because they know he's there to succeed and they'll get the best out of him every day, every drill."
Baldinger says an achievable goal for Hayne would be to make the 49ers' eight-man practice squad.
It is named after the 53-man roster is announced.
The practice squad doesn't play games, members don't get paid as much and are used to simulate opposing players in the lead-up to each game, but it would be the perfect learning environment for Hayne.
"You'll be in the building every day, working out, studying film, talking to the veteran players," Baldinger said.
"It would be a free year to learn the NFL game."
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