Drew Willy

[Neely2005]

Based on what? His 1 victory over another bad team? Why is it that nobody has ever seen anything in him to believe he can be a starting QB in the past?

Based on the stats that I posted a couple of pages back. Hey I'm not saying that he's the next Flutie, just that he's better than Willy. And that's not saying much.

He also threw 6 TDs compared to Willy's 3.

Full Argos stats:

Willy
2016
TOR
4 GP
77 COMP
113 ATT
681 YDS
3 TD
1 INT
6.0 AVG

LeFevour
2016
TOR
4 GP
73 COMP
105 ATT
779 YDS
6 TD
6 INT
7.4 AVG

So how is Willy any better than Lefevour?

Right now this is the worst Argonauts trade in my 25+ years as an Argonauts fan. And when this trade was made I was arguing to give it and Willy a chance. Boy was I wrong!

According to CFLstats.ca in 2016:

Willy was sacked 25 times in 16 games.
LeFevour was sacked 5 times in 10 games.

I'm still searching for Willy's Argonauts only stats.

http://cflstats.ca/player/4795/drew-willy

http://cflstats.ca/player/5377/dan-lefevour

[Neely2005]

No it is common to most sports teams with a large fanbase not specifically the Maple Leafs.

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. The leafs are the only team that I can think of that have sucked for 50 years and can still sell out every night and have a waiting list for season tickets.

[Neely2005]

Gabe, aside from the team adding STH benefits for 2017, what have they done that deserves applause or kudos ?
Re-signing Watman (a 6 or 7 OL at best IMO), and restructuring Drew Willy's horrible contract aren't impressive in my eyes, so until the Argonauts actually do something positive, they don't deserve applause IMO.


I wouldn't exactly go that far. Lefevour has a weak arm and can't throw well from the pocket IMO. Willy's not much better in the pocket either, but where Lefevour has the advantage IMO is that when he's scrambling he makes things happen. Willy isn't as immobile as some are making him out to be, but he's a pocket QB who won't run unless he absolutely has to, but IMO Willy also lacks the vision of when and where to run, so there's another issue.

Willy has a better arm but what does it matter when his accuracy is so terrible.

[ArgoGabe22]

Based on the stats that I posted a couple of pages back. Hey I'm not saying that he's the next Flutie, just that he's better than Willy. And that's not saying much.

But according to your poll not many think those stats translates to LeFevour is better than Willy. Majority rules.

[doubleblue]

It goes without saying that first-round draft picks don't always turn out, but I'm not one to surrender 1st round draft picks for a guy like Drew Willy in the first place!

Here's what Winnipeg GM Kyle Walters said when he obtained Willy in 2014 for that future HOFer Jade Etienne.

“Drew is a quarterback we have always thought had very high potential in this league. He immediately upgrades us at this position, and we really look forward to him being a part of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers moving forward,” said General Manager Kyle Walters.

So Drew's stock really went up after he joined the Bombers. But I have to admit he looked good in those clips of him playing with Winnipeg. Those must have been the ones Jim and Scott watched.

[paulwoods13]

The odds ARE much, much better and I will prove it when I get the time.

I can't wait to see this. I have previously suggested I'd like to see an analysis of how every player taken in the first three rounds of the past 15 drafts actually panned out. I guess they could be classified something like this: long-term star, long-term starter, long-term roster player, medium-term roster player, short-term roster player, little to no playing time. I'd actually like to see it for all players drafted, not just first three rounds. But anything approaching this would be a massive research task so it's tough to imagine anyone taking it on. If you can do it, fantastic!

[paulwoods13]

Indeed it is not the only method, but the Draft in any league is huge. GM's live and die by it for good reason.

It's less huge in the CFL, where most players are signed to contracts of one year, followed by free agency, then it is in the NHL, where most rookies sign for three years, and free agency takes at least five to six years.

[R.J]

CFL rookie contracts are a minimum of two years. Most draft picks sign three year deals.

[paulwoods13]

They reduced their odds of getting an impact player for a player who is not a hands-down CFL starter. People can site all the First Round failures they want, but anyone could site more than double the amount of successes.

I really wonder about that. Just for the hell of it I went back to look at one draft from 10 years ago, just to see how the first round went.

1 Edmonton Eskimos (via Hamilton) Adam Braidwood DE Washington State
2 BC Lions (via Winnipeg) Jay Pottinger LB McMaster
3 Saskatchewan Roughriders Andrew Fantuz SB Western Ontario
4 BC Lions (via Calgary) Ricky Foley LB York
5 Toronto Argonauts Daniel Federkeil DL Calgary
6 BC Lions Dean Valli OL Simon Fraser
7 Montreal Alouettes Eric Deslauriers WR Eastern Michigan
8 Hamilton Tiger-Cats (via Edmonton) Cedric Gagne-Marcoux OL Central Florida

Fantuz is an all-star-type player. Foley and Federkeil are excellent players (albeit Federkeil took years to get here). How many of the other guys were top players who warranted selection in the first round? In Round 2, players drafted included Pete Dyakowski, Luca Congi and Jon Cornish (who clearly was the best player from that draft). In Round 3, Dominic Picard and Jeff Perrett. Obviously it's a small sample size and not scientific, but I bet a year-by-year evaluation would show at least as many first-round misses as hits.

[paulwoods13]

CFL rookie contracts are a minimum of two years. Most draft picks sign three year deals.

Point stands. You can have the greatest draft in the world, and two years later you can have nothing to show for it.

[Neely2005]

But according to your poll not many think those stats translates to LeFevour is better than Willy. Majority rules.

Fajardo is splitting the vote.
:-)

[OV Argo]

I really wonder about that. Just for the hell of it I went back to look at one draft from 10 years ago, just to see how the first round went.

1 Edmonton Eskimos (via Hamilton) Adam Braidwood DE Washington State
2 BC Lions (via Winnipeg) Jay Pottinger LB McMaster
3 Saskatchewan Roughriders Andrew Fantuz SB Western Ontario
4 BC Lions (via Calgary) Ricky Foley LB York
5 Toronto Argonauts Daniel Federkeil DL Calgary
6 BC Lions Dean Valli OL Simon Fraser
7 Montreal Alouettes Eric Deslauriers WR Eastern Michigan
8 Hamilton Tiger-Cats (via Edmonton) Cedric Gagne-Marcoux OL Central Florida

Fantuz is an all-star-type player. Foley and Federkeil are excellent players (albeit Federkeil took years to get here). How many of the other guys were top players who warranted selection in the first round? In Round 2, players drafted included Pete Dyakowski, Luca Congi and Jon Cornish (who clearly was the best player from that draft). In Round 3, Dominic Picard and Jeff Perrett. Obviously it's a small sample size and not scientific, but I bet a year-by-year evaluation would show at least as many first-round misses as hits.

You maybe hurt your argument there by picking one of the strongest (IMO) CFL draft years ever. Lots of outstanding to very good to solid talent played in the CFL out of that draft.

There have been some pretty poor draft years by comparison - drafts that produced very few quality CFL players. But I think we can all name dozens of outstanding Canadian players and hundreds of solid ones who have graced CFL fields over the decades, and almost all of them were draftable. Dumb GMs and poor scouts often strike-out at drafting though.

However - times have changed some IMO - Canadian talent has grown in both quantity and quality. And some CFL GOBs have maybe warmed up to the idea that Canadians can play most positions (except QB or D-half), not just O-line or safety; and eventually they might get over their typical 7 NIs only need apply bias - Ottawa just winning the GC in starting/playing 10 or 11 Canadians might help. Net affect could become that Canadian talent gets more valued in the CFL, and at most positions. And the draft becomes more important - to some CFL thinkers maybe. Some GMs in any sport will be tempted to trade away top draft picks at time. Having more respect for Canadian talent, and at all positions = might change some CFL gob thinking a bit = maybe less trading of draft picks, but there will always be some.

[Neely2005]

But according to your poll not many think those stats translates to LeFevour is better than Willy. Majority rules.

Just for you I have created a 1 on 1 Poll.
:-)

[Neely2005]

I really wonder about that. Just for the hell of it I went back to look at one draft from 10 years ago, just to see how the first round went.

1 Edmonton Eskimos (via Hamilton) Adam Braidwood DE Washington State
2 BC Lions (via Winnipeg) Jay Pottinger LB McMaster
3 Saskatchewan Roughriders Andrew Fantuz SB Western Ontario
4 BC Lions (via Calgary) Ricky Foley LB York
5 Toronto Argonauts Daniel Federkeil DL Calgary
6 BC Lions Dean Valli OL Simon Fraser
7 Montreal Alouettes Eric Deslauriers WR Eastern Michigan
8 Hamilton Tiger-Cats (via Edmonton) Cedric Gagne-Marcoux OL Central Florida

Fantuz is an all-star-type player. Foley and Federkeil are excellent players (albeit Federkeil took years to get here). How many of the other guys were top players who warranted selection in the first round? In Round 2, players drafted included Pete Dyakowski, Luca Congi and Jon Cornish (who clearly was the best player from that draft). In Round 3, Dominic Picard and Jeff Perrett. Obviously it's a small sample size and not scientific, but I bet a year-by-year evaluation would show at least as many first-round misses as hits.

That's a pretty good draft!

[Argo57]

Point stands. You can have the greatest draft in the world, and two years later you can have nothing to show for it.

Or the team's management creates an atmosphere that encourages players to stay.

[paulwoods13]

You maybe hurt your argument there by picking one of the strongest (IMO) CFL draft years ever. Lots of outstanding to very good to solid talent played in the CFL out of that draft.

So one of the strongest drafts ever produced by my count a dozen players who started regularly over a long period of time, and that's being pretty generous to a couple of journeymen (Gagne-Marcoux, Ramsey). That's 1.5 per team, and it's less than 25% of the players drafted that year.

[Neely2005]

So one of the strongest drafts ever produced by my count a dozen players who started regularly over a long period of time, and that's being pretty generous to a couple of journeymen (Gagne-Marcoux, Ramsey). That's 1.5 per team, and it's less than 25% of the players drafted that year.

Which is why you need as many draft picks as possible. Especially high ones.

[ArgoGabe22]

Which is why you need as many draft picks as possible. Especially high ones.

It's still a crapshoot though. Argos didn't have a pick in first round in 2012 but came away with Cleyon Laing. Jermaine Gabriel, Daryl Waud are other 2nd round pick ups. While first rounders like Eppele and Sewell didn't end up being Argos for long. Winnipeg may end up getting Shomari Williams 2.0. We won't know until a few years.

Picking 10th isn't that bad. They'll still be able to get a good prospect. Could always try trading up or adding another 2nd round draft pick. I find Barker tends to like his sleeper picks anyways (Sackey, Gabriel) rather than going for the best player on paper.

[R.J]

Winnipeg could also end up with a 10 year starter, Future CFL Allstar and Hall of Famer - Yeah the draft is a crapshoot, but it works both ways.

[Will]

Winnipeg could also end up with a 10 year starter, Future CFL Allstar and Hall of Famer - Yeah the draft is a crapshoot, but it works both ways.

But from our position though, and with no disrespect to the young man who is selected we hope the #1 overall pick this year is a bust.