2017 CFL Draft - What Players Will Our Leos Choose

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Blitz
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There is a decent chance that our Leos will draft Maine linebacker Chris Mulumba in the first round.

But we do already have a big of a log jam there for essentially one position that is almost exclusively held by an International. Our Leos went hard after Bombers linebacker Tony Burnett in free agency. We have Dyshawn Davis, who was with us last year and looked like he had great potential. Micah Awe comes highly regarded out of Texas Tech and spent part of last season on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’’ practice squad.

We already have Nationals Adrian Clarke, Ontco, and Nehemie Kankolongo, and Jason Aragki as linebackers. Ontco was our leading special teams tackler last season and Aragki had another solid year and is our special teams captain.

Is it worth drafting a National linebacker, when we don't start one or use a National very much in a rotation? We didn't use National linebacker Bo Lokombo very much and he had a lot of athleticism and talent.

Its an interesting question as we prepare for the 2017 draft.
"When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team". (George Raveling)
OV - 54:40
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Wally and other CFL "thinkers" who believe/pre-determine that only 7 National players should be starting for them will often use the draft to address "depth" or back-ups or special teamers, when there is often instead the opportunity to use the draft to maybe get a guy who can address a real area of team need (NI or import ) and maybe play/start right away.

Not sure who the bona fide superstar starters Wally has pencilled-in along the D-line, but seems to me an area (both DE & DT) that should be open to lots of TC competition; AND - there is a good crop / or deep crop of both DTs & DEs this coming CFL draft. And with good draft position - a number of early picks - they might be able to get both a DT & DE who can compete to play right away - rotation guy or maybe starter if there is real TC competition.

Drafting an (IMO) blue-chip MLB prospect like Mulumba just to view him as a back-up to Sol-E or be little used like Lokombo was, is limited & myopic IMO - different story if the guy is viewed as a talent who could play and help on D (with Bighill & lokombo both gone); just as using an early draft pick to take an O-lineman for the sake of more Canadian line "depth" is limited.
Blitz
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OV - 54:40 wrote:Wally and other CFL "thinkers" who believe/pre-determine that only 7 National players should be starting for them will often use the draft to address "depth" or back-ups or special teamers, when there is often instead the opportunity to use the draft to maybe get a guy who can address a real area of team need (NI or import ) and maybe play/start right away.

Not sure who the bona fide superstar starters Wally has pencilled-in along the D-line, but seems to me an area (both DE & DT) that should be open to lots of TC competition; AND - there is a good crop / or deep crop of both DTs & DEs this coming CFL draft. And with good draft position - a number of early picks - they might be able to get both a DT & DE who can compete to play right away - rotation guy or maybe starter if there is real TC competition.

Drafting an (IMO) blue-chip MLB prospect like Mulumba just to view him as a back-up to Sol-E or be little used like Lokombo was, is limited & myopic IMO - different story if the guy is viewed as a talent who could play and help on D (with Bighill & lokombo both gone); just as using an early draft pick to take an O-lineman for the sake of more Canadian line "depth" is limited.
I couldn't agree more OV. I really believe we should be drafting for a potential starter or at least a player who can step into a rotational role. Drafting National linebackers who will mainly be used as special teamers should not be a priority. This draft is one of the best ever for defensive linemen and especially defensive tackles and right now we only have one National defensive tackle - 7th round choice Maxx Forde, who spent his first year on the practice roster and was used sparingly last season. It should be a priority.

With the other two picks in Round 1 and Round 2 there will be some very decent defensive and offensive linemem available. Another position of potential need is at field corner, should be go National at that spot. We do have Kenyan Parker, who was undrafted but played very well for us in his starts last season and we picked up free agent Matt Bucknor. Bucknor was undrafted but played two seasons for Hamiltion and two seasons for Winnipeg before being released there and spending last season in Calgary. Following his release by Winnipeg just prior to the 2016 season , he was signed by the Calgary Stampeders but only played in four regular season games in 2016. Bucknor is also 31, which is getting old for the corner spot.

In terms of the defensive line for 2016, at defensive end we have Craig Roh penciled in as the starter with David Menard being able to get rotational reps at that spot However, on the wide side, replacing Bazzie, we signed free agent Dequin Evans, who spent two seasons with the Stamps but only appeared in 13 games over two seasons, with 3 sacks. Evans couldn't crack the Montreal lineup last year and was only dressed for 5 games. Not an inspiring free agent pickup to me at all.

Then we have Darius Allen, who played 11 games for us last year, recording four defensive tackles and one sac in a rotational role and Andrew Hudson who dressed for 4 games for us last year and had one tackle and one sack in a rotional role. Not holding much hope there either.

The hope that I see is new signing Frank Alexander. He was a fourth-round NFL Draft selection by the Carolina Panthers in 2012. Over three years with Carolina he appeared in 29 games recording 20 defensive stops, three sacks and five pass knockdowns. He played his college football at Oklahoma and in 48 games he notching 84 tackles, 44 of which were for a loss along with 20 sacks, six forced fumbles and 14 pass knockdowns. In his senior year he was named Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year as well as a selection as Defensive Lineman of the Year. He's big at 270 pounds.

Dylan Ainsworth couldn't crack the Riders lineup but he was ranked the #7 prospect in the CFL 2014 draft but was not chosen until the second round. He is fast and has the potential to play a rotational defensive end role.

On the inside we have Mic'hael Brooks who has huge potential but did not have a good 2016 season. We wil either go with a new International tackle to compliment Brooks this season or play Bryant Turner Jr. in that spot. Lots of bodies in camp, including some nose tackle types, but we still need a rotational National tackle and right now that is Maxx Forde and no other National depth behind him or to compete with him or replace that rotational role.
"When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team". (George Raveling)
OV - 54:40
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Blitz - with the addition of this Randy Colling guy (big DT - was up for Div II Gene Upshaw lineman of the year award a few years back - in Arena ball lately) - qualifying as a National for this CFL draft, it is a very talented and deep DT draft crop coming up - and one of the top 5 there might be able to start or play in a rotation right away in the CFL, and they might be better than anything the Lions have now at DT including Brooks or Turner. This is found out in TC competition, but not unless you add a Canadian guy thru the draft there in a time/area of need. If you aim for just back-ups or depth or special teamers in the draft - that's about what you will get/ don't expect much more.

There are also IMO - at least 4 pretty good athletic DEs up this draft and the Lions could get one of them to with their draft positioning.

A couple of draft picks added to Menard or Max Forde and maybe you end up with 2 NI starters for the D-line or at least 2 guys who can play reps/ rotate thru. OTOH - maybe new import guys like Alexander or a new DT have outstanding camps and become top notch starters right away, but I wouldn't assume / pencil-in just import starters and why not add some Canadian talent to the mix at a position group that needs competition? Problem might be that Wally is perhaps a pencilled-in 7 only NI starters kinda guy and D-line might not be one of those positions? - it might just be safety and wide-side corner (Parker or Bucknor) as the only 2 NI D positions?
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WestCoastJoe
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Thanks, OV.

Colling 6'5'' 320

One expects him to be playing in the CFL this year, possibly starting.

http://3downnation.com/2017/04/10/randy ... -prospect/
Randy Colling finds calling as Canadian and top 2017 CFL draft prospect
Posted on April 10, 2017 by Justin Dunk // 5 Comments
Randy Colling found his calling as a Canadian after a rule change and knowledge from a current Arena league head coach with Canadian Football League scouting experience.

Five years after graduating from Gannon University the 26-year-old defensive lineman has obtained Canadian Citizenship and been added to the 2017 CFL draft class. When Colling finished his senior season with the Golden Knights he would not have been considered a non-import under the collective bargaining agreement at the time. But in May 2014, when the CBA changed and allowed Canadian Citizens to qualify as nationals that changed the dynamic for Colling. However, it took recognition from Cleveland Gladiators head coach Ron Selesky, who was a U.S. scout with the Saskatchewan Roughriders that found linebacker Jeff Knox Jr. in 2015, to start the process for Colling.

“I didn’t know he could qualify as a Canadian until he told me that his dad was born in Canada. I remembered seeing the article about how [Garrett] Waggoner got his Canadian Citizenship and they had contacted the Minister of Sport up there and got their process expedited. As soon as Randy told me the light went on: ‘Waggoner.’ I used that as a blueprint,” Selesky says. “If I would’ve known earlier that his dad had been born in Canada we could’ve jumped on it a lot earlier. When we first got him he had just turned 23.”

Colling’s father and grandfather, Kirby and Ken, were born in Hamilton, grew up Ticats fans. Kirby taught his son the “Oskee Wee Wee” chant, still wears a Ticats winter coat and owns a Darren Flutie jersey among others, even after he moved to Buffalo as a teenager.

“I remember visiting Hamilton when I was 12 years old because my dad wanted to show me where he grew up. He told me about the Tiger-Cats and we went to the team shop where I got some gear,” Colling recalls.

Although, that didn’t help Colling’s citizenship process speed up. It took over a year for the final paperwork to be done, which came three days after the deadline to qualify for the 2016 CFL supplemental draft.

“My Cleveland teammate Brian Brikowski, who played for the Montreal Alouettes [2014-2015], he was telling me how much of a difference it would make in me getting my Canadian citizenship,” Colling, eligible for the 2017 CFL pick-fest, says. “You can make more money and have a lot longer career.”

Back in 2011, the defensive lineman finished his senior season at Gannon University with 88 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 11 games. He was a Gene Upshaw NCAA Division II Lineman of the Year award finalist. After going unselected in the NFL draft that year, Giants and Jets mini-camps didn’t yield a contract, Colling signed with the Gladiators and played there for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. For 2014 he signed a futures contract with the Bills in January that year, but he was released in May after Buffalo tried to turn him into an offensive lineman.

“Where I came out of college, Gannon University, no player had ever signed an NFL deal. One guy before me went to a mini-camp but never signed a deal,” Colling says.

After that, it was back to Cleveland where Colling continued to develop into an elite Arena league defensive lineman. Last year for the Gladiators he registered 19.5 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 16 games, which earned him All-Arena defensive first team accolades. And he was an emergency offensive lineman too.



“He’s got the ability to go up there and dominate – incredible first step. He’s got all this experience and he’s only 26 years old. He’s got several good years in front of him,” Selesky says. “The biggest adjustment for him initially is just going to be getting over the shock of when he walks out onto the field. He’s going from playing on the smallest football field to the biggest one. Four of our game fields fit on one NFL game field, so take that and then add the extra length, width and end zones up in the CFL.”

Three CFL teams have called Selesky to get information on the intriguing defensive lineman. Meanwhile, Colling has spoken with every team across the three-down league.

“Big, active and can play all the positions along the defensive line,” one CFL scouts says. “He needs to lose weight for our game, but his size, rush ability, toughness and versatility will be an asset to any team.”

Often the CFL takes shots for the minimum salary checking in at $52,000 for an 18 game season, but it’s a substantial jump for a player like Colling who would make around $15,600 in an AFL season ($975 per game approximately).

Colling’s looking forward to the pay bump and challenge, the three-down game presents, but he’s got a jump in terms of knowing what it’s like to take down a CFL quarterback.

“I played against Trevor Harris [Edinboro University] in college,” Colling says. “Trevor was a few years older than me, but I remember getting him a few times.”
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WestCoastJoe
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John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.

Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.

Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
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Toppy Vann
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Lions draft preview: Back to work while dealing with loss



http://www.tsn.ca/lions-draft-preview-b ... s-1.744227
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Wally getting ready to work the board again this year? Saw this over on RF.com

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I'm told #BCLions & #Als have a trade in place for BCs 7th overall pick. Deal is contingent on certain players being available. #CFLDraft

https://twitter.com/FarhanLaljiTSN?ref_ ... the-league
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Bombers with the #1 overall pick picked Faith Ekakitie
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Riders pick linebacker Cameron Judge from UCLA. Lions pick next
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Lions pick receiver Danny Vandervoort
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Hamilton picks offensive lineman Connor McGough
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Receiver Nate Behar goes to Edmonton. Second receiver picked
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Winnipeg trade their 2nd first round pick to Calgary for the 8th and 34th pick. Stamps picked defensive lineman Randy Colling
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Lions select defensive lineman Junior Luke
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