OV - 54:40 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2020 8:45 pm
Hambone - ALL CFL teams passed on Tyrone Crawford when he was the #1 rated prospect in the CFL draft back in the day (only example of this ever happening i can think of -an oustanding Canadian prospect totally CFL undrafted, even in the late rounds - cause they knew he was pretty well an NFL lock = doubtful to ever show in the CFL )- and they were proven right.
I bet Gallimore & Claypool might fall into this category - write-offs for CFL teams in draft thinking; but maybe worth a gamble with a later round pick in the hope they bomb in the NFL and are willing to show in the CFL ?
CFL teams have often used draft picks on NFL flight risks - some more obvious than others though. The Lions have had their share of burnt draft picks there - Tony Mandarich, Rob Meier, Osh Atogwe = zip-0. So stay away alltogether from Gallimore & BC guy Claypool (could draft local SFU receiver R. John instead maybe?)
When you compare Crawford, Gallimore & Claypool with Mandrich, Meier and Atogwe you're comparing apples and oranges when it comes to the draft.
When Crawford was drafted he was draft eligible for both drafts in the same year and the NFL Draft was already over nearly a week before the CFL Draft. All CFL GMs knew exactly what NFL thought of Crawford, he was worth a 3rd round pick. Probably didn't help that the CFL Draft was only 6 rounds long then too.
When Mandarich, Meier and Atogwe were drafted they were CFL draft eligible the year before the NFL Draft. Unlike today back then CFL teams didn't have the luxury of knowing how the prospect would play as a senior or when or if the player would be drafted or signed as a UDFA by the NFL. Today they do. If CFL teams had to make their call on Claypool after his junior season he could well have gone early in the 2019 Draft. Would they have known he'd go from 639 yards and 4 TDs as a junior the 1037 yards and 13 TDs as a senior?
Mandarich was already touted as a probably NFL 1st rounder when the 1988 CFL Draft took place. The CFL Draft had 8 rounds then and BC rolled the dice burning a 7th round pick. BC took Meier 1st in 1999. As it turned out a year later he was a bubble NFL pick going 241st out of 254. He was the 2nd last DL taken.. Atogwe was similar with his NFL status being unknown until the year following his selection in the CFL Draft. He had a great senior season which had his NFL stock listed as rising at the time of his NFL draft.
I'm happy with the way the CFL Draft rules work today as it gives teams the ability to make their decisions with full knowledge where their NFL prospects lie. At least it should remain that way unless Ambrosia-beetle gets his way and pushes the CFL season up even farther. They're getting to the point where another two weeks earlier will force them to again hold the draft before the NFL Draft.
You're as old as you've ever been and as young as you're ever going to be.