Jamie Gillan had a nickname before he even had a full year of football under his belt.
For that to be one of the least remarkable occurrences in Gillan's improbable journey to Cleveland shows just how remarkable it is for him to be on the field as one of the Browns' two punters at the first part of OTAs.
Just six years ago, Gillan was living across the Atlantic Ocean in his native Inverness, Scotland, going through boarding school, playing rugby and knowing close to nothing about American football. He'd heard of the Green Bay Packers -- only because his friend was a fan -- but had never seen a game.
"I was rugby, rugby, rugby," Gillan said.
The Browns' 53 man roster as of December 18, 2020.
Kicker Cody Parkey (2) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans on December 6, 2020 at Nissan Stadium. The Browns won 41 - 35.
Quarterback Case Keenum (5) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers on October 18, 2020 at Heinz Field. The Browns lost 38-7.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans on December 6, 2020 at Nissan Stadium. The Browns won 41 - 35.
Punter Jamie Gillan (7) during an NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens on September 13, 2020 at M&T Bank Stadium. The Browns lost 6–38.
Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (11) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge (12) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Wide receiver Marvin Hall (18) during practice on December 17, 2020.
Cornerback Tavierre Thomas (20) before a NFL football game between the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns on November 15, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 10-7.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Safety Andrew Sendejo (23) during a NFL Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 14, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 47-42.
Running Back Nick Chubb (24) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Running Back Kareem Hunt (27) during a NFL Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 14, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 47-42.
Cornerback Kevin Johnson (28) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinatti Bengals on October 25, 2020 at Paul Brown Stadium. The Browns lost won 37-34.
Safety Sheldrick Redwine (29) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers on October 18, 2020 at Heinz Field. The Browns lost 38-7.
Running Back D'Ernest Johnson (30) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys on October 4, 2020 at AT&T Stadium. The Browns won 49 - 38.
Fullback Andy Janovich (31) during a NFL football game between the Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns on October 11, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 32-23.
Cornerback Robert Jackson (34) before a NFL football game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns on November 1, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 16-6.
Safety Jovante Moffatt (35) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Cornerback M.J. Stewart Jr. (36) during an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns on September 17, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 35-30.
Safety Tedric Thompson (37) (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39) during a NFL Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 14, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 47-42.
Safety Karl Joseph (42) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys on October 4, 2020 at AT&T Stadium. The Browns won 49 - 38.
Linebacker Sione Takitaki (44) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Long snapper Charley Hughlett (47) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Linebacker Jacob Phillips (50) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) before a NFL football game between the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns on November 15, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 10-7.
Linebacker Elijah Lee (52) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Center Nick Harris (53) after a NFL football game between the Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns on October 11, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 32-23.
Defensive end Olivier Vernon (54) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Linebacker Tae Davis (55) during a NFL Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 14, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 47-42.
Linebacker Malcolm Smith (56) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys on October 4, 2020 at AT&T Stadium. The Browns won 49 - 38.
Center JC Tretter (64) during an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns on September 17, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 35-30.
Defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (65) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Offensive tackle Kendall Lamm (70) and Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans on December 6, 2020 at Nissan Stadium. The Browns won 41 - 35.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) during a NFL Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 14, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 47-42.
Offensive tackle Chris Hubbard (74) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinatti Bengals on October 25, 2020 at Paul Brown Stadium. The Browns lost won 37-34.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans on December 6, 2020 at Nissan Stadium. The Browns won 41 - 35.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Tight end Austin Hooper (81) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Wide receiver Rashard Higgins (82) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during a NFL football game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns on November 1, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 16-6.
Tight end Harrison Bryant (88) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys on October 4, 2020 at AT&T Stadium. The Browns won 49 - 38.
Tight end Stephen Carlson (89) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (90) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars on November 29, 2020 at TIAA Bank Field. The Browns won 27-25.
Defensive end Joe Jackson (91) before a NFL football game between the Washington Football Team and Cleveland Browns on September 27, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 34-20.
Linebacker B.J. Goodson (93) before a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Defensive end Adrian Clayborn (94) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns on November 15, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 10-7.
Defensive tackle Vincent Taylor (96) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys on October 4, 2020 at AT&T Stadium. The Browns won 49 - 38.
Defensive end Porter Gustin (97) during a NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2020 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17.
Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (98) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers on October 18, 2020 at Heinz Field. The Browns lost 38-7.
That's how it remained even after Gillan, whose father is in the Royal Air Force, moved overseas to Leonardtown, Maryland, a small town of less than 3,000 located 55 miles south of Washington D.C.. Though rugby isn't nearly as popular in the states as it is in Scotland, Gillan still found plenty of action, playing for enough teams and clubs to set himself up to potentially play at the collegiate level.
Halfway through Leonardtown High's 2014 season, the team needed a kicker. Gillan, who is a "fly half" in rugby -- which is "essentially the quarterback," Gillan said, and also involves plenty of kicking -- became the man for the job, and his coach promptly gave him the nickname "Scottish Hammer."
"He knew I was from Scotland and he saw me kick a couple of footballs and he said, 'yep, I'm going to call you the Scottish Hammer,'" Gillan said.
That's how it was supposed to end -- a fun, five-week break from rugby before he figured out what to do beyond high school. A Facebook post by Gillan's friend changed everything.
Gillan's friend posted Gillan's highlight reel on the page of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, a historically black university that plays in the FCS. Within hours, Gillan had a full scholarship offer.
It'd be another significant life change, but the details mattered little to Gillan from that point forward.
"That was a huge culture shock but I've moved house so many times with my dad being in the military that meeting new people has never been a hard thing," Gillan said. "I was extremely blessed to have the opportunity to play college football and then also on the full scholarship as well. I've got a four-year degree for free. You'd never get that in Scotland. I got free food, free housing, free weight room, everything. It was an awesome experience and everyone was super inviting when I got there. I've got best friends for life from that school."
That's how this chapter was supposed to end, too. It wasn't until months after Gillan's final college season came to an end -- a year that saw him average 42.5 yards per punt -- when the NFL even entered his mind as a potential next step.
Though he wasn't invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, Gillan made waves at multiple pre-draft events. He was named the top punter at Gary Zauner's annual scouting combine for specialists who weren't invited to the NFL Combine. He later followed with an impressive showing at Arkansas State's Pro Day, where he wowed scouts not only with his strong leg, but also impressive numbers in drills such as the 40-yard dash and vertical leap.
At a sturdy 6-foot-1 and 207 pounds, Gillan is built like, well, a rugby player. It's not a typical build for a punter, but there's nothing typical about Gillan's story.
Browns special teams coordinator Mike Priefer met with Gillan in Arkansas shortly before the draft. They shared a meal at an Irish pub the night before what Gillan described as "a great day of kicking." Gillan later visited the Browns in Berea but entered draft weekend with few certainties. About 20 teams contacted Gillan before the draft, but his name went uncalled throughout the seven rounds.
Gillan was more than happy to ride the wave. He spent Day 3 of the draft celebrating his graduation with friends and family before fielding a call from the Browns to sign as an undrafted free agent.
"I punted, kicked and kicked off for Pine Bluff and had a good time," Gillan said. "Now I'm in the position I'm in now. It's incredible."
The next chapter comes with no guarantees. Though the process that landed Gillan at Arkansas Pine Bluff was improbable, he walked into a favorable situation with minimal competition. He faces the opposite situation in Cleveland going against 10-year veteran Britton Colquitt, who is coming off one of the best seasons of his career.
"Obviously he's an incredibly punter going into his 10th year in the NFL," Gillan said. "I want to learn from Mr. Priefer and continue to better myself. Understand I've got a good leg and I'm talented enough to be in this position now. Now it's about the consistency of getting better with my team and gelling in with the team perfectly."
At some point this summer, Gillan plans to travel back to Scotland for the first time in four years. His father still plays rugby, and Gillan wouldn't rule out pursuing the sport in the future, but he's not turning away from what's carried him on this unexpected journey to this point.
"My contract would be because of my leg and you wouldn't want to hurt that," Gillan said. "We'll see how it goes down the line. Rugby can wait."
