Chargers vs. 49ers 2015 live stream: Start time, TV schedule and how to watch online

Can Jarryd Hayne fulfill his NFL dream?

Sep 3, 2015, 3:40 PM UTC

Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

When the Chargers and 49ers face off in their preseason finale Thursday night, the eyes of many Australian NFL fans will focus on whether former rugby star Jarryd Hayne can fulfill his NFL dream.

Hayne had already made a name for himself as one of rugby’s brightest stars as part of the National Rugby League in his home country of Australia. From 2006 until his final season in 2014, Hayne earned All-Star honors as well as the Dally M Medal, the award for rugby’s best player for a given year.

Few athletes in his position would prematurely leave the sport for a puncher's chance at an NFL career, but that's precisely what Hayne decided to do earlier this year. The San Francisco 49ers signed him on March 3, 2015 to a three-year deal worth approximately $1.6 million. However, only $115,000 was guaranteed at signing, meaning the team had little incentive to keep Hayne should his fail to perform as expected.

Thus far, Hayne’s NFL hopes appear intact. He has flourished as a returner on special teams and possesses the requisite size and speed to play running back. By nearly every account, the former rugby star has fit in well with his American teammates since arriving. For a team that endured just about every unfortunate narrative this offseason, a feel-good story like Hayne’s is a fun, necessary diversion.

Hayne appears to have a roster spot in hand, but another strong preseason performance would go a long way towards locking the job down. He'll get his next chance on Thursday when the 49ers host the San Diego Chargers at Levi's Stadium.

The Chargers also enter the preseason finale with storylines of interest. Starting inside linebacker Manti Te'o has begun to show in practice why he was a Heisman frontrunner for much of his final season at Notre Dame. However, a foot injury has kept him off the field for stretches this year, including last week's preseason tilt with the Seattle Seahawks.

If Te’o can’t play or the team decides to hold him out along with most of the starters, he yields more time to second-round pick Denzel Perryman. Like Te’o, Perryman doesn’t possess elite physical traits. However, his nose for the ball and playmaking ability made him a star at the University of Miami (Fla.), and the more comfort he gains on an NFL field, the better his chances of displacing Te’o become down the line.

San Diego's pass rush rotation could also take shape as the result of the preseason game. Rookie Kyle Emanuel, selected in the fifth-round out of FCS North Dakota State, has impressed the coaching staff during training camp with his motor and tenacity. Like many FCS players, he doesn't possess elite speed -- he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.77 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine -- but he plays faster than his measurements suggest. If he has a strong showing on Thursday, defensive coordinator John Pagano may have no choice but to manufacture ways of getting Emanuel more time on the field.