Many young football players dream of one day playing in the National Football League.

But more often than not, their dreams eventually start to fade after they realize just how difficult it is to break through — even for elite Division I players in the NCAA.

That is especially the case for those playing in Japan. While there have been Japanese players who have participated in NFL summer training camps or practice squads — and several who have played at Division I schools in recent years — not a single Japanese-born player has made the cut for an NFL team’s 53-man roster.