How Good Is Jordan Herdman? (His Dad Played for the Argos)

[AngeloV]

Didn't realize MLBs had so much coverage responsibility in today's CFL game. That must be why Taylor Reed has been handed starting gigs with 3 different CFL teams now - an awesome cover guy.

They may not have 1on 1 cover responsibilities, but you're kidding yourself if you think zone coverage isn't a huge responsibility for a MLB in the CFL.

[jerrym]

Justin and Jordan Herdman say they want to prove their doubters wrong.

Winnipeg twins Jordan and Justin Herdman both have similar chips on their shoulders now, too, after falling in last weekend’s CFL draft.
The sons of former CFL and Blue Bomber linebacker James Reed, the Herdmans, linebackers out of Simon Fraser University, both went in the seventh round on Sunday, Jordan the B.C. Lions, Justin to Toronto.
Jordan, in particular, was ranked much higher going in, at No. 16, overall. He’s still getting NFL interest, too, attending a Kansas City Chiefs free-agent camp this week.
“I feel like I did a really great job there, and I heard some good things,” Jordan said. “Now I’m just waiting to see if they decide to sign me. If not I’ve got another mini-camp next week with the Detroit Lions.
“It’s great. I’ve been working for this for a long time now, and it’s been my dream to play in the NFL.”
Jordan isn’t sure if it was the NFL interest or his relatively unimpressive testing numbers that caused him to drop in the draft.
“I’m more of a football player than a great combine tester,” he said.
Either way, he and his brother are fired up to “prove everybody wrong that overlooked us.”
“It’s definitely some motivation, and puts a chip on our shoulders,” Jordan said. “When it comes time to go to camp and improve ourselves, we’re going to be ready to go. That’s what we do. We play football and we shine when we go on the field.”
Jordan starred at Simon Fraser, a B.C. university playing Div. II football against American colleges, setting records for single-season and career tackles.
Brother Justin wasn’t quite as prolific — but he’s just as amped up to prove the doubters wrong.
“I was kind of shocked,” he said.
“But it just adds fuel to the fire. The more people (picked) ahead of me, I’m just getting more motivated... to just take care of business and show why they should have drafted me higher.
“I guess they thought those guys were better. But it doesn’t really matter now. We’ll see what happens.”

http://www.winnipegsun.com/2017/05/1...aysayers-wrong

[jerrym]

After failing to get a contract at the KC Chiefs camp, Jordan is heading to Detroit next.

Canadian linebacker Jordan Herdman has accepted an invitation to attend rookie mini-camp with the Detroit Lions this weekend.
Herdman went to Kansas City Chiefs rookie mini-camp last weekend but did not receive a contract offer. It’s another opportunity for Herdman to showcase his skills in hopes of securing an NFL contract.


He was selected in the seventh round, 60th overall by the BC Lions in the 2017 CFL draft on May 7. That came after a stellar career at Simon Fraser University, registering Great Northwest Athletic Conference records for career (428), single-season (165) and single-game (26) tackles. Twice he was been named the GNAC’s top defensive player.
The Winnipeg native attended the 2017 Senior Bowl, a top showcase event for U.S. college players and delivered a bone-crunching hit.

https://www.cfl.ca/2016/06/16/cfl-la...-apparel-line/

[jerrym]

Despite twice winning the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year award, smashing as a 20-year-old sophomore the GNAC single-season defensive tackle record with 165 tackles, leading the GNAC in 2016 with 113 tackles, and setting an all-time GNAC career record of 428 tackles, SFU's Jordan Herdman was not selected in the CFL draft until the seventh round by BC because of poor testing numbers. In his 2017 CFL rookie year he tied for seventh in ST tackles with 19. This year, following Solomon Elimimian's injury, Herdman became the starting middle linebacker for BC and is now showing that those testing numbers do not measure everything in football.

Why did personnel men in the CFL, and the NFL for that matter, look at everything Herdman represents and conclude, “Nah, he’ll never play.” ...

“It’s those testing numbers,” said Geroy Simon, the Lions’ director of Canadian scouting. “We put so much stock in those numbers, but they’re just a piece of the puzzle. They’re not the whole puzzle.
“Jordan’s football IQ is through the roof. He sees things happening before they happen. A lot of times he’s going to go where the ball is before it’s snapped.” ...

Herdman, remarkably, landed in the Lions’ lap in the seventh round because he recorded substandard times in the 40 in his pro day at SFU and at the CFL combine. Those times — just over five seconds which isn’t bad for a mailman but is for a linebacker — coupled with his squat six-foot, 235-pound frame was enough to scare off CFL teams and the NFL squads who were sniffing around Herdman after his performance at the Senior Bowl.
Six other linebackers were taken ahead of Herdman in 2017 before he went to the Lions with the 60th pick of the draft, six spots behind where the Argos took his twin brother Justin. The Lions also took linebacker Frederic Chagnon from Montreal 26 spots ahead of Herdman. ...

“All the measurables say he’s not fast enough or tall enough but he can play,” said Lions’ defensive coordinator Mark Washington. “He’s just a football player and a very good one.” ...

Herdman, in fact, has been a revelation since stepping in for the injured Solomon Elimimian three games ago. In his first outing against Ottawa, he was credited with 12 tackles in the Lions’ narrow loss. Last weekend, he registered five more tackles and a pass breakup in the fourth quarter in the win over Edmonton.
In his three games at middle linebacker, the Lions have surrendered an average of 65 rushing yards per game and 3.3 yards per carry. “He just runs through people,” says Simon. “He’s a throwback, an Alondra Johnson-type (former Stampeders’ Hall of Famer).” ...

[SFU HC] Bates, for one, isn’t surprised at what he’s seen from his former player or his twin brother. “They didn’t get here by accident,” he said. “They know what they’ve wanted since high school on the field and in the classroom and they did everything to prepare for it. They’re a lesson for everyone.”

https://theprovince.com/sports/footb...what-he-can-do

[OV Argo]

Classic GOB "scouting" ... who knew ? ;o)

Lewis Ward was not drafted at all that same draft - he's just broke the consecutive FG record for rookies and has one miss all season (and former CFL kicker / Argo draft pick, turned CIS coach (at one time anyways?), David Miller Johnson spoke very highly of Ward back before his draft time = maybe the CFL "scouts" need to add some guys with some knowledge of and respect for kickers, ... and MLBs, and tailbacks (see Erlington - 8th round by the Ticats)

[Wobbler]

I'm looking forward to watching the Wilder Jr. - Herdman matchup. Best of luck to Wilder, of course, but I do love it when late round draftees make everyone look foolish...

[ArgoRavi]

Classic GOB "scouting" ... who knew ? ;o)

Lewis Ward was not drafted at all that same draft - he's just broke the consecutive FG record for rookies and has one miss all season (and former CFL kicker / Argo draft pick, turned CIS coach (at one time anyways?), David Miller Johnson spoke very highly of Ward back before his draft time = maybe the CFL "scouts" need to add some guys with some knowledge of and respect for kickers, ... and MLBs, and tailbacks (see Erlington - 8th round by the Ticats)

Drafting in any league is not an exact science. The aforementioned Miller-Johnston was a first round pick of the Argos back in 1998 and a complete bust. A little-known kicker named Noel Prefontaine was picked in the supplemental draft that same season and had a long, illustrious career. Even the best general managers will have hits and misses and that has nothing to do with "GOBness".

[jerrym]

I agree with the last three comments but I also believe what happened is exactly what Geroy Simon points out - testing numbers, although important, have become so dominant that evidence from a four year college career, especially if one does not have the conventional body profile for a position, tends to be overridden and people tend to go along with the conventional viewpoint because it is easier to be one of many who got the scouting wrong than to take the risk of being the one who bucks conventional wisdom in case you get it wrong.
I also wonder if BC would have drafted him in the seventh round if he had not been a hometown boy that they knew would raise questions with some their followers if they had never even risked a very late round, low-risk draft choice on him.

[OV Argo]

Drafting in any league is not an exact science. The aforementioned Miller-Johnston was a first round pick of the Argos back in 1998 and a complete bust. A little-known kicker named Noel Prefontaine was picked in the supplemental draft that same season and had a long, illustrious career. Even the best general managers will have hits and misses and that has nothing to do with "GOBness".

Yep - drafting is no science and can be tough.

But sorry Ravi, IMO lack of respect for Canadian talent (especially at some positions) and pi$$-poor "scouting" that writes off a lot of very accomplished NI college ball talent, is a key feature of classic GOB behaviour. IF the Canadian talent pool is so limited (like some CFL shills AND their dupes on fan forums love to bleat), then there should rarely be misses or ignorance on top Canadian football talent by a league that requires it - not from all 9 teams. Kwaku Boateng or Jordan Herdman falling to where they did that CFL draft is laughable to embarassing IMO; and Lewis Ward not looked at period would be fine if all teams were set with all-star place-kickers, but this is hardly the case. Good GMs do not miss outstanding football players - not every GM in a league anyways.

[Wobbler]

I didn't see any reason to think that Jordan Herdman will be a regular starter, but one (partially watched) game is a pretty limited evaluation.

[OV Argo]

I didn't see any reason to think that Jordan Herdman will be a regular starter, but one (partially watched) game is a pretty limited evaluation.

Herdman IS a regular starter now with Sol-E out; Wally could have easily gave the job to somebody else on the roster or air-lifted in some now import to hand him the job, but i guess they have some faith in Herdman - who had some tackles, was around the ball lots and had a real nice knock-down in this game. His per game tackle totals project to tops in league level since he has been starting.

Herdman could easily be starting for some other CFL teams at MLB now IMO - like the Riders (replacing an average at best Sam Hurl), or Ottawa (replacing cheap-shot Hebert or the other mediocres they have played there), or maybe another CFL team whose MLB doesn't make many plays.

[AngeloV]

I have to say that I am impressed with Herdman at least against the run. Glad that Wally gave him the next man up label when Elimimian went down. Contrary to what you believe, I really do pull for Canadians to be impactful players in the league.

[doubleblue]

Jordan Herdman has done well filling in for Solomon Elimimian but there aren't too many players out there who can fill Elimimian's shoes. Neither Jordan and Justin Herdman are as big as advertised but they do have a nose for the ball as the saying goes. Makes up for a lack of foot speed a lot of the time. Jordan probably should have gone higher in his draft year than the 7th round IMO, but probably his slow time (5. 2-3)? in the Combine forty and the Div II League SF plays in had something to do with it. Teams must have looked at the twins as potential back ups and ST's guys. They weren't too far off that projection IMO.

[jerrym]

Justin Herdman is now a starter and fifth in total tackles in the league. Pretty good for a guy who wasn't drafted until the seventh round because of his low testing numbers, despite setting all-time marks for total tackles and assisted tackles in the GNAC, being a second team Division II All-American and being the first player from SFU to attend the Senior Bowl.