NFL Hall of Famer Roger Craig believes the San Francisco 49ers should give Jarryd Hayne another shot at playing American football next season.

Craig is convinced that Hayne will have a big impact for the 49ers in his second year as an NFL player and could be of big help at the running back position behind top choice Carlos Hyde. The three-time Super Bowl winner also said Hayne’s last game of the 2015-2016 NFL regular season against the St Louis Rams would be his final chance to prove his worth.

“With a bit of knowledge and experience under his [Hayne] belt, he could make a real impact in 2016,” Craig wrote via Fox Sports. “His calling card may end up being on kick-off and punt returns, but he can still do some damage at the running back position behind Carlos Hyde.”

After two months of being sidelined in the 49ers’ practice squad, Hayne finally got the call up to San Francisco’s active squad, starting at the running back position in their loss against the Detroit Lions. The Australian rugby league star earned praise from head coach Jim Tomsula after playing 35 of the 49ers’ 59 offensive snaps, while posting nine carries for 27 yards.

"He continues to work his tail off and get better," Tomsula said, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. "He knows the assignments.”

Hayne also feels spending time in the practice squad has helped him develop his overall understanding of the NFL game particularly his skills at the running back position. Following his decent outing against the Lions, the 27-year-old rookie said his experience in the 49ers’ practice squad gave him “invaluable experience.”

Hence, Hayne could start again against the Rams, with the rest of the team’s running backs injury-sidelined. However, there is also a chance that the NFL convert would face tough competition in getting quality minutes on the field after a strong performance from DuJuan Harris, who was signed off the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad last week.

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