OV's 2014 CFL draft board team

[OV Argo]

Been posting such an all-draft board team on various CFL fan forums the past few years - hope you guys don't mind me putting it up here. Not meant to be a predictor of CFL draft order/preference; but more of an all-star team of draftable players in the various position groups. Based mostly on college ball play: stats, all-star recognition (and sometimes on having seen some of these guys play or from reading commentator views on their on field play), plus factoring in CFL Combine tests and measureables and reviews from there.


QB - N/A

RB - Anthony Coombs (Manitoba)

Receiver - Devon Bailey (St, FX), Alexander Fox (Bishops), Kris Bastien (Concordia), Evan Pszczonak (Windsor), Alex Pierzchalski (U of T)

O-Line - Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (McGill), Pierre Lavertu (Laval), Maathias Goosen (SFU), Terry Hart (St. FX), David Foucault (Montreal)


DT - Evan Gill (Manitoba), Quinn Smith (Concordia)

DE - Dylan Ainsworth (Western), David Menard (Montreal)

LB - Max Caron (Concordia). Casey Chin (SFU), Beau Landry (Western)

DB - Antoine Pruneau (Montreal), Andrew Lue (Queens), Derek Jones (SFU), Eric Black (Saint Mary`s), Adam Thibault (Laval)

Kicker - Tyler Crapigna (McMaster), Johnny Mark (Calgary)

[Argocister]

Shucks OV .... I thought you were creating a team to help the Argos pick in the CFL draft! Aww well maybe another day....

Anyway, can't argue much with your team... what about Briggs? I'm thinking him over Landry. At the moment, it seems Briggs wants it more. I know Western products are very good, but for those in the Q that want to work, I think they have an edge as during the season they play tough teams. ... let me add more frequently
At the moment that would be my only replacement.

some info according to Rids..... http://ridleyscouting.com/CFLDraft.html

Nice video ..... http://cfl.ca/video/index/id/95191

[OV Argo]

Shucks OV .... I thought you were creating a team to help the Argos pick in the CFL draft! Aww well maybe another day....

Anyway, can't argue much with your team... what about Briggs? I'm thinking him over Landry. At the moment, it seems Briggs wants it more. I know Western products are very good, but for those in the Q that want to work, I think they have an edge as during the season they play tough teams. ... let me add more frequently
At the moment that would be my only replacement.

some info according to Rids..... http://ridleyscouting.com/CFLDraft.html

Nice video ..... http://cfl.ca/video/index/id/95191

Yeah - Briggs put up just an outstanding set of testing numbers at the Combine, and he must have jumped up the rankings quite a bit; and he was a solid LB in the Q, though nothing special in terms of stats and didn`t make any Q all-star teams; I`m just not that big on rating players highly mostly on testing numbers, and Landry has shown good on field play at Western. Adam Thibault is another guy getting rated very high - based mostly on testing numbers IMO - he couldn`t hold the starting safety job at Laval last season and doesn`t have much DB experience - there might be some other better DBs who could be on this `team`over him.

[Argocister]

Thibeault stated that he played defence in CEGEP and high school. He switched to receiver at Laval. Mind you, that doesn't put him first on the list, but he has had some experience. As to starting at Laval.... Constantin places high importance on seniority and working hard for your position. Just because you want to play that position doesn't mean you will get it. There was no way
Thibeault would supplant those that worked in that position for 4-5 years. It is Laval, where depth at every position is the envy of other teams. I think he was lucky to get some playing time on the D. He did show some good football instincts at the
East-West bowl last year on defence.

[KCargosfan]

Who would everyone take with our first pick?

[ArgoGabe22]

Who would everyone take with our first pick?

Gill or Coombs if available. The CFL draft is a surprise, I remember WPG went off the board last year with Pencer.

[OV Argo]

Gill or Coombs if available. The CFL draft is a surprise, I remember WPG went off the board last year with Pencer.

Pencer was in 2012; the Bombers got burned last year by using their 1st pick (2nd overall) on DE Andy Malumba - who ended up making the Packers and actually starting some for them at LB when they had injuries. And the Bombers 2nd pick (11th overall) - DB Kris Robertson ended up with a bad injury in TC (broken leg maybe?) - not sure if he is due back for them this TC?

They need to start doing better at the draft to upgrade their NI talent; for years, a clown like Taman routinely traded away a lot of top Bomber picks; and then they had the clueless Joe Mack in charge the past while. I'll bet with a bunch of veteran Canadian football people (guys like Wade Miller, Walters, O'Shea) running things now, they might do way better in the draft. They pick 2nd overall behind Ottawa and I'd bet they go for one of the top O-Lineman (Laval C Pierre Lavertu would be a great fit perhaps); might be nice for them to get a local product - like Gill or Coombs from the Bisons - too.

Not sure who I'm pulling for with regards to the Argo draft picks; I just hope they address defence - D-Line - both DT & DE needs, and maybe a safety prospect too.

[OV Argo]

Argos currently hold a number of later round picks (#s 33, 36, 38, 42 i think); and sometimes some very good, but under-rated or unhearlded players can be had there. Score some good prospects there please (eg. Saint Mary's DE Romick - very good athletic tester at the Combine; maybe RB Rob Farquharson (Guelph) too).

[Argocister]

I don't think the Argos will take a RB .... They have Gillanders and Woodson for NI players. Although maybe they will plan to keep a couple of them and have a competition at TC.
My choice would be a couple of D linemen.... Gill, Ainsworth, Smith .... Which ever one they think is the best athlete. I think
Burke has had good success with NI defensive players. .... I could be wrong tho...

[doubleblue]

Who would everyone take with our first pick?

My guess would be DT Gill. He is rated #6 and Lavertu, Goosen, Bailey, Fourcoult and Thibault would be my guess at players going in the first round top five.

Interestingly, I saw a NFL top 250 players rated for their draft and the only Canadian mentioned as likely to be drafted was Hamilton's pick from last year DT Urban. The McGill OT Laurent wasn't mentioned but I think he would get a FA contract. Two players who could be non-imports if they put in for it, WR Woods from Notre Dame was rated 3rd or 4th round, and the OG at Penn State was rated 6th or 7th round.

[Argocister]

CFL Daily has a cool draft listing .... Interesting to see the list not only ranked overall but according to positions as well .

http://cfldaily.ca/2014/04/03/cfl-dr...gible-players/

So I say
Smith as our first draft pick.

[Rids]

I saw one NFL mock draft calling Laurent Duvernay-Tardif a Top 100 pick. Seems a little early but you never know when a player gets a little hype and teams get paranoid about who else knows about their hidden small school gem. Similar thing happened when Vaughn Martin was drafted a few years ago (2009?). San Diego was the only team really chasing hard but got spooked that Chicago was going to select him so he became a 4th round pick.

[OV Argo]

I saw one NFL mock draft calling Laurent Duvernay-Tardif a Top 100 pick. Seems a little early but you never know when a player gets a little hype and teams get paranoid about who else knows about their hidden small school gem. Similar thing happened when Vaughn Martin was drafted a few years ago (2009?). San Diego was the only team really chasing hard but got spooked that Chicago was going to select him so he became a 4th round pick.

Duvernay-Tardif - like Vaughn Martin - is one of those very impressive physical specimen / great athletic tester types that some NFL teams find irresistible - even though the player is coming from CIS ball - a level of football the NFL experts have little respect/ regard for. Goes way back to when the Rams used a first round pick on Mike Schad - O-Lineman out of Queens who had pro size and freakish testing #s; but it's becoming more common for some NFL teams to look at the odd CIS talent - Greenwood, Gaydosh, Stefan Charles as some other recent examples of guys who have the measureables or testing #s to attact some NFL interest.

Adam Thibault or David Foucault get invited to an NFL regional Combine, yet they've never made CIS all-star let alone a Q conference all-star team when it come to proven on field football play ? Some pro "scouts" are in love with the size, speed, testing #s method of scouting.

[ArgoRavi]

Duvernay-Tardif - like Vaughn Martin - is one of those very impressive physical specimen / great athletic tester types that some NFL teams find irresistible - even though the player is coming from CIS ball - a level of football the NFL experts have little respect/ regard for. Goes way back to when the Rams used a first round pick on Mike Schad - O-Lineman out of Queens who had pro size and freakish testing #s; but it's becoming more common for some NFL teams to look at the odd CIS talent - Greenwood, Gaydosh, Stefan Charles as some other recent examples of guys who have the measureables or testing #s to attact some NFL interest.

Adam Thibault or David Foucault get invited to an NFL regional Combine, yet they've never made CIS all-star let alone a Q conference all-star team when it come to proven on field football play ? Some pro "scouts" are in love with the size, speed, testing #s method of scouting.

We can't underestimate the impact that expanded training camp rosters in the NFL has had either. NFL teams are willing to take a flyer on players that they wouldn't have given the time of day to a few years ago and the ones that they do take a chance on are the ones that have those awesome testing numbers.

[OV Argo]

We can't underestimate the impact that expanded training camp rosters in the NFL has had either. NFL teams are willing to take a flyer on players that they wouldn't have given the time of day to a few years ago and the ones that they do take a chance on are the ones that have those awesome testing numbers.

Yeah Ravi - huge NFL TC rosters now; and no more NFL-Europe as a developmental league. Looking at some CIS guys, and a few more vet CFL stars.

I'm wondering if Quinn Smith - who shot-up the CFL rankings after the Combine - might get an NFL FA invite - 300+ DT who runs a 4.8 forty and 4.6 shuttle = oustanding #s there for a big guy and he put up 28 bench reps too. Linden Gaydosh got to try-out for the Panthers last year - injured in TC and on the IR all year, but heard they like his potential and he will be in TC for them again = big loss for the Ticats who took him 1st overall, plus their 2nd rounder Brent Urban (played both DT & DE in Div. I ball) is rated to get picked this coming NFL draft: quite the Canadian D-Line they might have had with those guys plus Bulcke and former CIS star DE Gascon-Nadon is with them too.

[OV Argo]

Argos sign receiver Adjei (3rd rounder last year) - might mean they will not be thinking of going receiver (at least with an early pick) in the upcoming draft?

[Wobbler]

I doubt that it changes anything. We certainly had to sign Adjei, but it's far from clear that he'll be a useful player.

[paulwoods13]

I doubt that it changes anything. We certainly had to sign Adjei, but it's far from clear that he'll be a useful player.

Yeah, at this point I would have to rate him as a looonng longshot, based on his limited PT in college.

[Argocister]

Here's another listing/ranking of the players in the draft. This one includes a ranking for 50 players.

http://cfldaily.ca/2014/04/15/cfl-dr...april-15-2014/

So if the Argos are 6 th ... And we follow Barkers line of best player available but skip LDT ( as he's heading to the NFL) we get Ainsworth. Sounds good to me.

[Argocister]

Then again.... here's the latest order of draft eligible players from the CFL 's draft trackers.

Rank Name Position School
1 Laurent Duvernay-Tardif OL McGill
2 David Foucault OL Montreal
3 Pierre Lavertu OL Laval
4 Quinn Smith DL Concordia
5 Devon Bailey WR St. Francis Xavier
6 Evan Gill DL Manitoba
7 (Dylan Ainsworth DL Western
8 Anthony Coombs RB Manitoba
9 Matthias Goosen OL Simon Fraser
10 Andrew Lue LB Queen's
11 Adam Thibault DB Laval
12 Casey Chin LB Simon Fraser
13 David Menard DL Montreal
14 Antoine Pruneau DB Montreal
15 Beau Landry LB Western

So if we pick 6th and 15th ..... and assuming no one takes LDT in the first round. Going by strict order .... Ainsworth and Landry or LDT (as I assume Barker would take LDT at 15 if he was available.) Thoughts anyone?