Can the 49ers' new Australian rugby star make an impact in NFL?

If Jarryd Hayne doesn't make it in the NFL, it won't be because he can't hack it athletically.

Hayne, an Australian rugby star, signed with the San Francisco 49ers on Monday. It's easy to see why he was a great rugby player. He measured 6-foot-2, 226 pounds during a pro day workout for NFL scouts, according to the National Football Post, and looked natural running and catching the ball, even fielding punts. He reportedly ran a 4.53 40-yard dash.

Hayne wants to play running back, and only five running backs at the combine last month ran better than a 4.53.

Hayne won the Rugby League International Federation's International Player of the Year award in 2009, the most prestigious honor in the sport that for all practical purposes crowned him the best rugby player in the world that year. So he's comfortable on the field of competition.

So he's a physical marvel and a phenomenal athlete. But what will that mean for the 49ers?

Hayne has never played American football, but his inspiration might come from the basketball players who have dominated in the NFL. Antonio Gates never played college football and is likely going to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Jimmy Graham and Julius Thomas each played one year of college football and they're among the best tight ends in the game. None of them is a good physical comparison to Hayne, but it shows it's possible to star in the NFL without a ton of experience.

But the nuances of the game are hard to pick up. Hayne is 27 now, and by the time he learns them, it might be as his physical gifts are declining.

Other rugby players have tried the NFL, and some have made it as kickers and punters. Daniel Adongo, a rugby player from Kenya and a physical marvel, played two games at linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts in 2013 after picking up American football fast; he spent last year on injured reserve. But the list of rugby players who have made a successful transition in the NFL is short.

So what did the 49ers get, aside from a cool story to track? The 49ers beat a few other teams, including the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions, for Hayne and gave him $100,000 guaranteed, according to the National Football Post, a hefty sum for someone with no experience. So they're committed. Hayne will probably have to make it on special teams, maybe as a returner, as he understands the complexities of playing offense. 

But we know this: He won't look out of place physically on an NFL field.

- - - - - - -

Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab