2018 CFL Draft, Including Trades (Topics merged by Mod Staff)

[CardiacKid]

Awesome blocker. Awesome. He really locks on. Many pancakes. His footwork, positioning and leverage are text book.

Rolly 2.0

I like this pick. Long snapper also. Should be very good on STs.

The highlight video is a treat.

He could be another Patrick Lavoie or Declan Cross; namely a viable AND valuable part of an offense that knows how to manage drives and aims to keep possession. A guy whose value is greater than the sum of his parts.

One of the best technique blockers I have ever seen on film. Simply amazing. Fun to watch him hunting down his man. He moves all around the backfield, but finds his man. He plays in a fired up mode.

He seems to have good hands.

Like they say about Rolly, in a pinch, they could fill in at O Tackle.

Also fun to see him snap the ball on punts, hustle downfield and make the tackle. LOL

I would say he is an inspirational player. Got me fired up watching the film.

I do take away one glaringly negative thing from his highlight video and it is a big one......

The dude may like truly sh*tty music...the inclusion of Nickelback in the soundtrack makes me worry. Hope the team vets can straighten him out before the regular season.

[CardiacKid]

The Rough Riders may be looking at some problems depth-wise in a couple of years.

They only had 5 picks in this year's draft and with one of those picks, chose Dakoda Shepley. Shepley, while a consensus first rounder and potential starter/star if he ever comes to the CFL, has signed in the NFL. So for the short-term, the Riders only had 4 picks in the practical sense.

In Jones first year in Riderville, the National depth was laughable and lamentable. Last year, things improved but again this year they could be up against the wall with Muamba, LaFrance, Dyakowski, Demski, Morris, Mrabure and Hecht all leaving the team in one way or another.

You gotta have a solid Canadian core.

[TheLionKing]

Hervey seemed to have addressed the team's deficiency. Whether the new acquisitions can actually play remains to be seen.

[squishy35]

The Rough Riders may be looking at some problems depth-wise in a couple of years.

They only had 5 picks in this year's draft and with one of those picks, chose Dakoda Shepley. Shepley, while a consensus first rounder and potential starter/star if he ever comes to the CFL, has signed in the NFL. So for the short-term, the Riders only had 4 picks in the practical sense.

In Jones first year in Riderville, the National depth was laughable and lamentable. Last year, things improved but again this year they could be up against the wall with Muamba, LaFrance, Dyakowski, Demski, Morris, Mrabure and Hecht all leaving the team in one way or another.

You gotta have a solid Canadian core.

It makes you wonder what the Hecht is going on in Regina...?

[David]

The Rough Riders may be looking at some problems depth-wise in a couple of years.

They only had 5 picks in this year's draft and with one of those picks, chose Dakoda Shepley. Shepley, while a consensus first rounder and potential starter/star if he ever comes to the CFL, has signed in the NFL. So for the short-term, the Riders only had 4 picks in the practical sense.

In Jones first year in Riderville, the National depth was laughable and lamentable. Last year, things improved but again this year they could be up against the wall with Muamba, LaFrance, Dyakowski, Demski, Morris, Mrabure and Hecht all leaving the team in one way or another.

You gotta have a solid Canadian core.

Is Jones worried? No. He knows he can pilfer our picks like Jeremy Zver, Esa Mrbure-Ajufo, and Dillon Guy. Oh sorry, "convince to come to Saskatchewan," players that we don't seem to be able hide like the other teams in the league. I suspect Ed will be a little more creative than Wally in being able to stash extra roster players and hopefully prevent them from fleeing to "greener" pastures.


DH

[Blitz]

The Rough Riders may be looking at some problems depth-wise in a couple of years.

They only had 5 picks in this year's draft and with one of those picks, chose Dakoda Shepley. Shepley, while a consensus first rounder and potential starter/star if he ever comes to the CFL, has signed in the NFL. So for the short-term, the Riders only had 4 picks in the practical sense.

In Jones first year in Riderville, the National depth was laughable and lamentable. Last year, things improved but again this year they could be up against the wall with Muamba, LaFrance, Dyakowski, Demski, Morris, Mrabure and Hecht all leaving the team in one way or another.

You gotta have a solid Canadian core.

Is Jones worried? No. He knows he can pilfer our picks like Jeremy Zver, Esa Mrbure-Ajufo, and Dillon Guy. Oh sorry, "convince to come to Saskatchewan," players that we don't seem to be able hide like the other teams in the league. I suspect Ed will be a little more creative than Wally in being able to stash extra roster players and hopefully prevent them from fleeing to "greener" pastures.


DH

I agree that Hervey will likely do a better job than Wally did at stashing extra roster players.

We never should have lost Zver last year. Wally tried to get Zver to accept a practice roster spot for less money, of course, while keeping Jas Dhillon on the active roster instead. I didn't think that was a smart move at the time. Zver could also play the left tackle position.

Very athletic, although very raw, Zver was a project with lots of potential.

I liked that we drafted Kneval. He is a very long armed offensive lineman who could play the right tackle spot in the future.

[CardiacKid]

The Rough Riders may be looking at some problems depth-wise in a couple of years.

They only had 5 picks in this year's draft and with one of those picks, chose Dakoda Shepley. Shepley, while a consensus first rounder and potential starter/star if he ever comes to the CFL, has signed in the NFL. So for the short-term, the Riders only had 4 picks in the practical sense.

In Jones first year in Riderville, the National depth was laughable and lamentable. Last year, things improved but again this year they could be up against the wall with Muamba, LaFrance, Dyakowski, Demski, Morris, Mrabure and Hecht all leaving the team in one way or another.

You gotta have a solid Canadian core.

Is Jones worried? No. He knows he can pilfer our picks like Jeremy Zver, Esa Mrbure-Ajufo, and Dillon Guy. Oh sorry, "convince to come to Saskatchewan," players that we don't seem to be able hide like the other teams in the league. I suspect Ed will be a little more creative than Wally in being able to stash extra roster players and hopefully prevent them from fleeing to "greener" pastures.


DH

If Jones makes a habit of attempting to pinch guys off the PRs of other teams every year, it has to come back to bite him in the ass at some point. What is good for the goose is good for the gander when it comes to grabbing Nationals from other clubs.
And other clubs could well make it their business to tip the CFL off on irregularities of the sort the Riders engaged in during Jones first year. Not that they would ever dream of being that under-handed again...No, not ever

[pennw]

Here is how they ranked last August :

Rank-Name-Position-School-Hometown
1 David Knevel OL Nebraska Brampton, ON
2 Trey Rutherford OL Connecticut Markham, ON
3 Ryan Hunter OL Bowling Green North Bay, ON
4 Godfrey Onyeka DB Laurier Brampton, ON
5 Darius Ciraco OL Calgary Burlington, ON
6 Peter Godber OL Rice Toronto, ON
7 Pierre Tyrone REC Laval Ottawa, ON
8 Kene Onyeka DL Carleton Brampton, ON
9 Regis Cibasu REC Montreal Kinshasa, Congo
10 Julien Laurent DL Georgia State Toronto, ON
11 Christopher Amoah RB Laval Montreal, QC
12 Rashaun Simonise REC Calgary/Okanagan Vancouver, BC
13 Andrew Pickett OL Guelph Kitchener, ON
14 Dakoda Shepley OL UBC Windsor, ON
15 Alex Taylor RB Western Winnipeg, MB
16 Ryan Sceviour OL Calgary Calgary, AB
17 Keiler Cherry OL Acadia Lloydminster, AB
18 Jonathan Boissonneault-Glaou DL Montreal Lyster, QC
19 Jackson Bennett DB Ottawa Cumberland, ON
20 Nelkas Kwemo LB Queen’s Montreal, QC
https://www.tsn.ca/nebraska-ol-knevel-t ... 0-1.843315
Interesting to see how the rankings just change over time . Players, as they develop will probably rate differently down the road than they do now also . We got the top guy from this earlier ranking in a later round.

[D]

Hervey had his laptop in front of him in the 'war room' and looked very, very focused. (I'm still not sure if Wally knows how to use one).

A long ways from Adam Rita who would do his drafting from Hawaii

[Blitz]

Hervey had his laptop in front of him in the 'war room' and looked very, very focused. (I'm still not sure if Wally knows how to use one).

A long ways from Adam Rita who would do his drafting from Hawaii

Adam believed in being 'laid back'. Like why sweat the small stuff like the CFL draft..

I think the steal of this draft for our Leos could be Isaih Gusylak-Messam. He is a big defensive back at 6'1", 207 pounds, he's very fast, and he can hit. He is an aggressive defensive back who likes to come up and play the run. He was ranked in the Top 20 of the draft and we got him at #34.

[Blitz]

John Hodge of 3 Down Nation gave Ed Hervey and our B.C. Lions the top grade for their 2018 draft selections.

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All nine CFL draft classes, ranked
May 4, 2018 by John Hodge

Last night I graded every selection made in the 2018 CFL draft and I’ve used that information to rank the nine draft classes. One can’t fairly assess any draft until years down the road, so these rankings are to be taken with a grain of salt.

Still, for now, here is how I would rank each team following the selections they made on Thursday evening.

1. B.C. Lions
Ed Hervey nailed his first draft with the Lions. Armed with two first-round picks, B.C. addressed both sides of the line of scrimmage early by drafting Rice’s Peter Godber and Georgia State’s Julien Laurent. Godber could be a day-one starter at guard, while Laurent is the undisputed number-one defensive tackle in this year’s draft class.

David Mackie is a great add at fullback, while David Knevel — once the consensus top prospects in this year’s draft — was a great value selection at 21st overall. My favourite selection of B.C.’s was Wilfred Laurier defensive back Isaiah Guzylak-Messam at 34th overall — he’s long, fast, and versatile.

The bill for this year’s draft class will come due next May — the Lions gave up their 2019 first-round pick in Wednesday’s trade with Winnipeg — but, for now, the Lions have to be happy with their haul.

2. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Ticats paid a heavy price to acquire the first overall pick in this year’s draft, but they came away with an impressive group of selections.
Mark Chapman is the most polished national receiving prospect to come along in years and he’s expected to contribute immediately in June Jones’ run-and-shoot offence. Darius Ciraco, though not a probable day-one starter, should develop nicely into a starting role at either centre or guard.

One of Thursday’s best value selections came when the Ticats drafted Ottawa defensive back Jackson Bennett early in the second round. Bennett, who was rumoured to be in play as high as fourth overall, is a tremendous athlete with the potential to slot in at safety, cornerback or even strong-side linebacker. Simon Fraser receiver Justin Buren was also a nice value pick in the fifth round.

3. Montreal Alouettes
Trey Rutherford is an excellent addition to Montreal’s aging offensive line. Given that he is currently without an NFL opportunity, the Alouettes should be able to get Rutherford under contract quickly and have him contribute immediately as the club’s sixth offensive lineman.

Central Washington’s Bo Banner, the draft’s top pass rusher, fills a depth need behind free agent addition Jamaal Westerman, while Western’s Jean-Gabriel Poulin, Dartmouth’s Ryder Stone, and Toronto’s Paul Kozachuk should play key depth roles in Montreal this season.

One thing that hurts the Alouette’s draft class is the lack of an impact receiver, a position of need for a club that may choose to start national George Johnson at field-side wide receiver.

4. Calgary Stampeders
Local boy Ryan Sceviour was a great first-round pick for a team that lost two talented Canadian offensive linemen to retirement this off-season (centre Pierre Lavertu and tackle Dan Federkeil). Sceviour won’t need long before he’s ready to contribute as the club’s sixth offensive lineman or potentially as a starter.

While I didn’t love the club’s selection of McMaster linebacker Eric Mezzalira in the second round, I thought the late-round additions of Alberta offensive lineman Justin Lawrence and Regina running back Atlee Simon were shrewd. I see Lawrence as a future starter at centre, while Simon is a smooth-running ball carrier and receiver.

Western offensive lineman David Brown could make an impact if he returns to health from a torn ACL, while Gabriel Ferraro — the only kicker selected on Thursday evening — will provide some competition for Rob Maver and Rene Parades in training camp.

5. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Bombers used the 2018 CFL draft to overhaul their national talent at the receiver position. Rashaun Simonise is a polarizing figure — he was arguably the most naturally gifted athlete available on Thursday evening, but some question his character. Winnipeg will look to veterans Weston Dressler and Adarius Bowman to keep Simonise focused on becoming the best receiver that he can be.

McMaster’s Daniel Petermann, a player the Bombers strongly considered in the second round, was a nice value pick at the end of the third round, while Montreal offensive lineman Arnaud Gendron-Dumouchel could be a steal in the fourth.

Laval receiver Tyrone Pierre and Queen’s defensive back Jacob Firlotte are nice depth additions who will look to make the club by contributing on special teams.

6. Ottawa Redblacks
Selecting Alberta’s Mark Korte, the draft’s most athletic offensive lineman, at fourth overall was a shrewd move by Ottawa, a team that has now drafted an offensive lineman in the first round of four consecutive drafts.

I felt the Redblacks selected Laval receiver MarcoDubois a little bit too high at thirteen, but he’ll make an immediate contribution on special teams. One of my top picks of the night came in the third round when Ottawa landed Guelph’s Andrew Pickett, a player I’m sure they were surprised to still find available at 22nd overall.

Concordia linebacker Mickael Cote makes for a nice depth selection, while Carleton defensive end Kene Onyeka will forgo the CFL to return to school for his final year of USports eligibility in 2019.

7. Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton made an excellent selection at tenth overall in Wilfrid Laurier defensive back Godfrey Onyeka. He has the potential to slot in at field-side cornerback, safety or weak-side linebacker, all of which are national positions in Edmonton’s starting line-up.

Jordan Beaulieu was also a great pick at 24th overall. A rangy safety out of Western, some scouts see Beaulieu as a CFL starter in the not-too-distant future. Acadia’s Gabriel Bagnell could be a quality depth piece, while Western’s Alex Taylor may get a look at running back.

What hurts Edmonton’s draft class is the lack of a first or second-tier offensive lineman. The Esks have a lot of talented hogs under contract, but, for a team that would like to start four or five Canadians on the line, adding a player like David Knevel or Andrew Pickett would have improved the overall quality of this draft class.

8. Toronto Argonauts
The Argos got the best player available in Thursday’s draft when they used the ninth overall pick to select Ryan Hunter out of Bowling Green. The issue is that Hunter, currently a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, may never take a snap in the CFL. There’s nothing wrong with drafting a ‘futures’ player, but ninth overall is pretty early to do so.

I’m not convinced that Nelkas Kwemo has the athleticism to be an impact player at the CFL level, while Regis Cibasu won’t join the Argos until the 2019 season while he completes his USports degree and eligibility.

Laval fullback Simon Gingras-Gagnon could provide some nice depth behind Declan Cross, while Kent State’s Kain Anzovino was one of the top long snappers available.

9. Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Riders entered Thursday evening with just two selections in the draft’s top four rounds. Considering Saskatchewan’s immediate depth needs, the decision to select Dakoda Shepley out of UBC at fifth overall was a head-scratcher.

Shepley, now a member of the New York Jets, won’t report to Regina until 2019 — if ever. With talents like Godfrey Onyeka, Jackson Bennett, Ryan Sceviour, and Darius Ciraco still on the board at fifth overall, the risk outweighs the reward for Saskatchewan’s top pick.

Linebacker Micah Teitz was a good positional fit for the Riders, while York offensive lineman Christopher Smith comes as a no-risk tackle prospect at 63rd overall. I’m interested to see if the Riders convert Mathieu Breton, a 6’7 defensive tackle out of Bishop’s, to the offensive side of the ball come training camp.

The odds were stacked against Saskatchewan from the beginning given the club’s lack of picks (five), but I’m not sure Chris Jones and company maximized the value of the selections they had.

[WestCoastJoe]

https://www.bclions.com/2018/05/04/herv ... -together/

This CFL fan does love watching outstanding blocking.

Check out this very short clip of David Mackie. The clip is just at the beginning of Ed Hervey breaking down our draft.

Mackie shows outstanding balance, reaction, footwork, recovery and strength. And there is another pancake.

Did someone think it is mismatch in size? It might look like it, but Michael Cote, LB, is 6'3'' 225. David Mackie is 6'2'' listed at 239 up to 252.