2024 CFL draft (Lion's picks)

[B.C.FAN]

The Lions selected two punters in today’s CFL Global draft, Carl Meyer from South Africa and Tory Taylor from Australia.

https://www.bclions.com/2024/04/30/lion ... bal-draft/

No disrespect to Stefan Flintoft, but using a designated American roster spot for a punter/holder has prevented the Lions from dressing an extra American as a special teamer and backup running back or defensive back in recent years. If all things are equal, I would prefer that the punter be a national or Global.

[Hambone]

The Lions selected two punters in today’s CFL Global draft, Carl Meyer from South Africa and Tory Taylor from Australia.

https://www.bclions.com/2024/04/30/lion ... bal-draft/

No disrespect to Stefan Flintoft, but using a designated American roster spot for a punter/holder has prevented the Lions from dressing an extra American as a special teamer and backup running back or defensive back in recent years. If all things are equal, I would prefer that the punter be a national or Global.

Meyer is a rugby placekicker. There's a clip in this link showing him making some kicks in a US Pro Rugby game. There's no denying his leg strength. For that matter there's no denying his overall strength. The dude is built like a linebacker or rush end.
https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/watch-sa-g ... how-in-us/

Bit of a flyer or futures pick taking Taylor. He was taken mid-4th round in the NFL draft by Chicago thus unlikely to find his way north for a while, if ever. But hey NFL teams are finicky when it comes to kickers and punters. They are the ultimate "what have you done for me lately" positions. The leash is usually quite short for rookie kickers. If they struggle coming out of the gate in the first 4 or 5 games teams don't hesitate to go scrap heaping for a veteran replacement.

I don't mind these at all. I don't know if Whyte has plans to emulate Passaglia and McCallum. If he continues at the level of 2023 he could be good for another 5 years. However if balancing his football career with his fireman career gets to be a bit much he could decide to hang his cleats up any season now. At 38 as of last October BC does need to start thinking about a replacement just in case he opts to move on sooner than later.

Definitely replacing Flintoft with a Global makes a ton of sense. At least for now with Debaillie continuing to play very well in a regular DL rotation and Rouyer providing solid kick coverage play they aren't in a position where they HAVE to find another Global. We won't see Taylor in Kamloops any time soon but I'd be looking forward to seeing Meyer in camp if they can get him signed this year.

[Hambone]

Barring a generational talent, you prioritize building from the trenches out. Always.

That’s conventional CFL wisdom but it hasn’t worked for the Lions, who have had little success when they used high draft picks on O-linemen. The only national linemen on the roster who they have drafted or developed are David Knevel (3rd round 2018), Andrew Peirson (undrafted 2018) and Tyler Packer (6th round 2021). Knevel and Peirson shared the starting left guard position last year. Otherwise all three have been mainly backups in their careers.

True. The path is littered over the past decade with early BC OL draft picks who failed to live up to their prospects or otherwise failed to bear fruit. Going back in time over the past 10 drafts here is the sordid story for the OL they took in the first 3 rounds:

2022 - 2nd round 12th overall - Noah Zerr is now on his 3rd team in 3 years

2021 - 2nd round 15th overall - Alaric Jackson was a bit of a flyer who is a great example of the risks that come with drafting a player who lands an NFL UDFA deal. He had signed a UDFA deal with the LA Rams prior to the CFL Draft and is now the Rams starting LT.

2018 - 1st round 3rd overall - Peter Godber dealt with injuries that kept him off the field most of his first 2 years. He'd finally settle in as starting center in 2021, He had his moments in 2021 before finally becoming a solid yeoman-like player in 2022.

2018 - 3rd round 21st overall - David Knevel fell into BC's lap in the 3rd thanks to expected NFL interest that didn't really materialize beyond mini-camp invites with the Raiders and Saints. He started out as a reliable depth player and was set to be the starting LG when the 2022 season started. A torn labrum suffered late in camp wound up ending his season before it began. He and Peirson tag teamed at LG a bit starting 2023 before Knevel took over for good. For now he looks like a solid contributor at LG while also being the backup tackle on both sides should and in-game injury occur.

2017 - 2nd round 16th overall - Jeremy Zver in a pick I never understood. I can only assume Wally wanted to get an OL with one of his first 2 picks. None had come off the board when BC took Junior Luke 7th overall. Then 7 would come off the board out of the 8 picks before BC's 2nd pick. With so much of the stock on the OL shelf having been bought in such short order I think Wally panicked and reached to grab Zver. BC tried stashing him on the 1G at the start of the season to avoid being plucked by Jones as happened with Esa Mrabure-Ajufo and Dillon Guy the year before. A week later Wally gave it a shot and tried to get him to take a PR assignment. Zver declined and faster than you can say Saskatchewan Chris Jones had him under contract. Wally may have gotten the last laugh as Jones stashed on the 1G thus paying him full salary for the balance of the season only to have Zver retire before the 2018 season began.

2016 - 1st round 5th overall - Charles Vaillancourt started out with lots of promise playing 29 regular season games plus 2 playoff games with 6 starts in his first 2 years before injuries derailed his career. He never played again after the 2017 season.

2015 - 2nd round 14th overall - Brett Boyko was another UDFA flyer. Boyko had been rated the top prospect all season until Christian Covington declared himself eligible for the NFL Draft. Boyko bounced around the NFL and AAF for 4-1/2 years before joining BC for 2019 training camp. Considering the time spent being developed in the NFL plus his high pre-draft profile he was quite frankly a disappointment for his time in BC. While he did play and started 14 games for the Elks in 2023 and 10 games with the Riders in 2021 he really seems to be no more than an average journeyman.

2014 - 2nd round 12th overall - T-Dre Player was the 4th of 10 OL taken in what turned out not to be a deep draft that didn't provide much for CFL results. Duvernay-Tardif was the only one taken after Player to fashion a career of note albeit in the NFL. Mattias Goossen (2nd overall) who had an excellent but brief 5 year career with Winnipeg was the most impactful followed by Pierre Lavertu (1st overall) who played only 4 years. David Foucault (5th overall) has enjoyed the longest career. After that T-Dre Player gets the nod for the best CFL career playing 18 games over 2 years. That was more than the combined totals of the 5 OL not named Duvernay-Tardif taken after him.

[Hambone]

Well so far the two big receivers Mardner and Mital are off the board along with defensive players Dublanko and Labrosse. Riders gambled on NFL UDFA signing Hergel. To me it points to BC going OL.

[Hambone]

And George Una OL from Windsor it is.

[cromartie]

And George Una OL from Windsor it is.

You’re welcome.

[OV:54-40]

And George Una OL from Windsor it is.

A bit surprising they went for him over Wallace of D-Duguay; but still considered a very good O-line prospect.

[Hambone]

And George Una OL from Windsor it is.

You’re welcome.

For predicting OL or predicting Una? I'm not sure which one of us beat the other to the punch. I posted in this thread back on Feb 22nd that BC's biggest draft need was OL. As much as the argument for receiver enticed me to change my mind I still was thinking OL was the way to go. I can't remember which mock draft I read a few weeks back but whoever it was predicted Una. After reading the reasoning I had Una as the pick I wanted.

[David]

Wow. CFL.ca mock draft had Una at #33 overall and we take him at #6. How do we explain this disparity?



DH

[Hambone]

If Riders go anything other than WR it sets up nicely for BC to fill that WR depth at 15. I just don't see WR as a priority for them. Winnipeg has the 2 picks in between. No way they would use both on WR.

EDIT: Winnipeg took Clercius at 13. Duncan-Busby should be available at 15. Straker could be a strong consideration.

When they get to #19 it wouldn't surprise me to see them to take a flyer on Theo Benedet if he's still available.

[Hambone]

Wow. CFL.ca mock draft had Una at #33 overall and we take him at #6. How do we explain this disparity?



DH

I'd have to dig back but pretty sure one of the mock drafts on 3D, TSN or CFL.ca had BC taking Una at 6th.

EDIT: I dug back. John Hodge's Mock Draft 2.0 of April 4 had BC taking Una at #6. His Mock 1.0 had Una going #8 to Winnipeg.

[B.C.FAN]

With 3 WRs and RB Michael Chris-Ike off the board, the Lions took a hometown gamble on Theo Benedet with the 15th pick.

[Hambone]

If Riders go anything other than WR it sets up nicely for BC to fill that WR depth at 15. I just don't see WR as a priority for them. Winnipeg has the 2 picks in between. No way they would use both on WR.

EDIT: Winnipeg took Clercius at 13. Duncan-Busby should be available at 15. Straker could be a strong consideration.

When they get to #19 it wouldn't surprise me to see them to take a flyer on Theo Benedet if he's still available.

OK. Maybe they flip them. Lol. Benedet at 15.

BC has so much overall depth a futures pick is not a bad thing. Thinking back to last year it took an injury to Cherry to get Bemiy on the field. They really do have more picks than roster spots to accommodate them all so somebody who might not show for a year or three isn't necessarily bad. With only 3 picks between 15 and 19 it may still work out to get a receiver.

[Hambone]

WR Ezechiel Tieide at 19.

[B.C.FAN]

The Lions finally got a receiver, Ezechiel Tieide of Concordia, with the 19th overall pick