2017 CFL Combines

[j-ski]

Observations of combine:

Three players stood out IMO.

. Hoover looks all the part of a free safety at the pro level. Tested very well. In the one on ones he was unbeatable except for one receiver. Plays very aggressively, though he will have to tone down the occasional grabbing and especially the hitting beyond 5 yards. Should do well at the National Combine, if today's performance is anything to go by.

. Adeboboye was by far the best receiver on the field. Both fast and quick he dominated the one on ones. They had him go against Hoover three time and each time Adeboboye beat him cleanly. He also showed great hands. Only 5' 9" but plays a lot taller.

. Mackie was a real surprise. He tested very well in all events. However, it was in the one on ones, where he really pulled away from the competition. He was unstoppable regardless of whom he faced. Several times there was unsolicited applause from the onlookers, when he beat his blocker cleanly. The guy has a real motor. Looking forward to seeing him going against the best OL players at the National.

Thanks Shatto for the report.

Do you know who the quarterbacks were who were involved in the drills?

[OV Argo]

Adeboboye is 5'9"/170 but somehow slower than 6.4"/233 Brian Jones? It's not all numbers, obviously, but... good luck to him!

Precious little evidence of smaller, smurf type receivers out of CIS ball getting much of a CFL shot (or if they do, sticking on a roster) in some time. There have been much faster, way more productive small CIS receivers over the past number of years.

Mackie impressed me in the times I've seen him play for Mac - good pass rush DE and pro size.

Say again - Hoover is a guy I'd like to see the Argos be able to draft in the later rounds - very athletic and 6-1 size and if he has DB smarts - could be a real good CFL safety prospect.

[Shatto]

Sorry J-ski not sure who the QB's were but we assumed they were local university QB's. Maybe somebody else who was at combine can help us with this.

[jerrym]

Frank Zicarelli has an article on Adam Adeboboye who was one of the five players selected at the Ontario Combine to go to the National Combine. He notes that Adeboboye is following in the footsteps of two other York players who were selected by the Argos.

At York, Adeboboye played with Jamal Campbell and Chris Kolankowski, offensive linemen taken by the Argos in last year’s CFL draft, two young hopefuls who would eventually make the team.
If Adeboboye continues to climb the charts, he’ll be the latest York product to graduate to the pro ranks.
He took a big step Friday when Adeboboye was among the five players chosen to attend next week’s combine in Regina, where virtually every CFL official, coach, general and personnel employee will gather for the league’s annual occasion.
Campbell and Argos teammate Llevi Noel, who once played at U of T, were on hand as players strutted their stuff inside the bubble at Varsity Centre, where all nine CFL clubs were represented.
“Jamal is definitely an inspiration,’’ said Adeboboye, who played his high school ball at Northern. “We’re close. At York, we were part of a Christian group. I’ve talked to him a lot during this process. He’s a mentor. I asked a lot of questions as I did with Chris. I talked to both of them, two guys I definitely look up to.”
Adeboboye believes his exclusion from last year’s East-West game, a showcase that highlights some of Canada’s top university players, forced him to work hard.
He lives in Scarboro and often wakes up at 4:15 in the morning to begin the trek to York and ensure he arrives on time for his 6:30 a.m. workouts.

http://www.torontosun.com/2017/03/17...n-line-for-cfl

[jerrym]

Nate Behar is one of the top ranked receivers at the National Combines. Below is Marshall Ferguson's view of him.

I believe Behar to be the most well rounded receiver in the 2017 CFL draft. Behar explained why he feels the same when we chatted just after his Ravens were eliminated from the 2016 OUA playoffs.
“I have knowledge of the game that I really believe will set me apart. I like to think of myself as a three level player, I welcome shots over the top, intermediate passes and quick throws like they’re all one and the same”
On film I agree with his self assessment. Nate can catch anything, anywhere and has a physical presence about his game. Not just in speed and versatility but strength and brash aggression.
In September the CFL Scouting Bureau had him ranked eight overall but he was bumped back four spots to number twelve in the December rankings. ...
A cerebral receiver with great physical tools from a young age coming off four outstanding seasons at a school that went from basement dwellers to Yates Cup contenders.

http://www.cfl.ca/2017/03/20/carleto...just-big-play/

[jerrym]

Below is a description and rules of each of the Combine drills.

http://www.cfl.ca/2017/03/21/combine...rospect-drill/

[jerrym]

CFL Western Combine results can be found at the url below.

http://www.cfl.ca/2017-cfl-western-regional-combine/

[doubleblue]

Sorry J-ski not sure who the QB's were but we assumed they were local university QB's. Maybe somebody else who was at combine can help us with this.

I see two QB's are listed on the combine roster. Samuel Caron 6'3 210 Montreal, and Asher Hastings 6'4 225 McMaster. Hastings has been in the Argo training camp before but I doubt either will get serious looks as QB's unless the rules are changed. Probably be asked to change positions.

[jerrym]

The five players from the Western Combine selected to go the the National Combine are WRs Julan Lynch, Mitchel Hillis and Alex Morrison, RB Ante Milanovic-Litre, and DB Adam Laurensse.

Lynch, a wideout for the Saskatchewan Huskies, totaled 19 reps on the bench press, ran a 4.72 in the 40-yard dash, jumped 34.5 inches in the vertical jump, ran a 7.56 second three cone and completed the 3-cone in 4.59 seconds.
“It’s very exciting,” Lynch said after finding out the news he was selected to move on to the national combine. “I was really nervous coming into the whole thing. I’ve been preparing for the last three and a half months and it paid off.”
Things paid off for the other four who were selected as well.
Hillis, another Huskies receiver, benched 13 reps, ran 4.78 in the 40-yard dash, jumped 33 inches in the vertical jump and 9’1″1/2 in the broad jump, ran a 7.54 second shuttle and completed the 3-cone in 4.28 seconds. Despite those numbers, the wideout said his best performance of the day was during the one-on-one drills.
“Testing I did well, (some) guys did better,” he said. “The on field stuff is where I feel the most comfortable so I think I excelled at that.”
The third and final receiver, Morrison, had the fastest shuttle run of the day, completing the drill in 7.13 seconds and had the third fastest 40-yard dash at 4.62 seconds. The UBC product did not participate in the bench press, jumped 33.5 inches in the vertical jump, jumped 9’11” in the broad jump and completed the 3-cone in 4.29 seconds.
Milanovic-Litre, a running back from Simon Fraser, benched 22 reps, ran 4.76 in the 40-yard dash, jumped 34.5 inches in the vertical jump and 10’1″3/4 in the broad jump, ran a 7.49 second shuttle and completed the 3-cone in 4.38 seconds.
Finally, Laurensse, a defensive back for the Calgary Dinos, did not participate in the bench press, ran a 4.75 second 40-yard dash, jumped 33.5 inches in the vertical jump, 9’11” in the broad jump, finished the shuttle in 7.28 seconds and completed the 3-cone in 4.22 seconds.

https://www.cfl.ca/2017/03/23/five-s...tern-regional/

[jerrym]

WATCH THE CFL COMBINE LIVE STREAM HERE. – WWW.CFL.CA/LIVE

[jerrym]

WR 6 foot 6' Malcolm Carter (Ottawa Sooners - CJFL) led in both the vertical and broad jump events. Leaders for these events are found at the url below. Alphabetical listings for all participants can be found at the second url.

http://www.cfl.ca/combine-leaderboard-whos-top-regina/

http://www.cfl.ca/2017-cfl-combine-roster/

[OV Argo]

The Herdman's team-mate at SFU - RB Ante Milanovic Litre - is a big back with some very good athletic testing #s. Doubt he gets much of a real shot to play tailback in the CFL, but some team is probably going to draft - could be an H-back type plus play STs (plus capable as an emergency RB?).

Wondering if the Trestman offence will feature much fullback/H-back look ? I don't think it did in Montreal ?

[jerrym]

The Herdman's team-mate at SFU - RB Ante Milanovic Litre - is a big back with some very good athletic testing #s. Doubt he gets much of a real shot to play tailback in the CFL, but some team is probably going to draft - could be an H-back type plus play STs (plus capable as an emergency RB?).

Wondering if the Trestman offence will feature much fullback/H-back look ? I don't think it did in Montreal ?

Mianovic-Litre was the third participant at the Herdmans' Pro Day. Overall, he had a good day.

But the guy with the most to gain was probably Milanovic-Litre.
Milanovic-Litre was the only player of the three not invited directly to the national combine, but instead to the western regional combine on March 23 where he’ll have to perform well to earn an invite to the national.
With Jordan’s spotlight bringing NFL attention to the Lower Mainland, it was a great opportunity for the 5’11” running back — one with which he flew.
Putting up a 4.63-second 40-yard dash, he seemed to leave an impression on the talent evaluators.
“Ante ran a little better than I thought he would,” said Simon. “He caught the ball well, you could see his natural skills as a running back. I’m not sure he’ll play running back in our league, but he’ll have an opportunity, I think, in this league.”
For Milanovic-Litre, it was the culmination of his work over the past few months. He had planned out his schooling so he would graduate in the fall to dedicate his time to training, so he could make a full effort at chasing his dream.
“I knew I wanted to pursue a professional career, so that’s why I made those plans, why I made those arrangements, and saved up some money so I could train. That’s all I have been doing. I haven’t been in school, not focusing my energy on a job, because I basically got eight weeks to make my dream come true,” said Milanovic-Litre. “So I put all my effort, everything I can, so if it doesn’t work out, on my deathbed I’ll have the satisfaction that I gave everything.”
And he came in confident, knowing what to expect after attending an NFL Regional Combine in February, where he felt he left a good impression.
“I didn’t make a single drop,” he explained. “I went to the guy running the regional combine and asked if I could take reps at receiver because the running back drills were done and he let me. So I got to work out in two positions, and overall, I think I stood out.”
Ante Litre
Weight: 220 lbs.
Height: 5’11.7”
Hand Size: 9.5”
Arm Length: 30.75”
Wing Span: 72.25”
Vertical Jump: 36.5”
Broad Jump: 10’2”
40-Yard Dash: 1.60s/ 2.65s/ 4.63s (10yards/20/40)
Pro Agility: 4.47s
3-Cone: 7.31s
60-yard shuttle: 12.09s
Bench Press: 23 reps

http://www.the-peak.ca/2017/03/pro-d...or-sfu-alumni/

[jerrym]

National LB Christophe Mulamba, who played at the University of Maine, skipped the Combines to have his Pro Day at his university.

He checked in at six-feet, 237 pounds, benched 225 pounds 22 times, recorded a 34-inch vertical leap, nine-foot, nine-inch broad jump, 4.77 40-yard dash, 4.54 shuttle and 7.55 3-cone.

http://3downnation.com/2017/03/23/ca...maine-pro-day/

[jerrym]

Ottawa Soomer (CJFL) WR Malcolm Carter could be a great target for Ricky, if he is available. He was Justin Dunk's #4 ranked receiver (http://3downnation.com/2017/03/20/20...pect-rankings/).

A 6-6, 215-pound athlete from Toronto, Carter led all 43 east regional participants with a vertical leap measuring 40 inches, and he had the second-fastest 40-yard sprint time of 4.646 seconds and shuttle-run time of 4.17 seconds.

He spent only the 2016 Ontario Football Conference season with the Sooners, but he apparently opened eyes by averaging 18.5 yards per catch on 29 receptions and scoring nine touchdowns in seven games.

http://www.ottawasun.com/2017/03/10/...-draft-combine

Top Vert.

Malcolm Carter - WR - @CURavens

Having himself a #CFLCombine Season. pic.twitter.com/9l4BpeBVTk

— CFL (@CFL) March 24, 2017

[TOBenfica]

strong possibility that he falls to the second round... and is there for the taken

Ottawa Soomer (CJFL) WR Malcolm Carter could be a great target for Ricky, if he is available. He was Justin Dunk's #4 ranked receiver (http://3downnation.com/2017/03/20/20...pect-rankings/).



http://www.ottawasun.com/2017/03/10/...-draft-combine

[jerrym]

Two players who shone today were Queen's RB 5'11.4", 206 lb Jonah Pataki and McMaster DL 6'0.5", 276 lb Fabion Foote.

Pataki led the field on Friday with a 10-foot, 3-inch broad jump and a 36.5-inch vertical while Foote checked in with a 9-foot, 11-inch broad jump to lead all defensive linemen.
But in the end, no one could touch either mark set by Malcolm Carter of the Ottawa Sooners (CJFL), whose regional results stand as the best in show. ...

While Carter recorded a 40-inch vertical at the Eastern Regional Combine in Montreal on March 10, the former Carleton Raven wasn’t able to match it on Friday, settling for a 34-inch jump.
“Not as happy with it because I did drop quite a bit but I feel like that’s because I wasn’t training as hard during the last week and was resting more,” said Carter afterwards. “I want to be 100 per cent for one-on-ones later on in the week.” ...

Pataki’s 36.5-inch vertical topped the competition on Friday, while the running back out of Queen’s showed consistency in the broad jump by following up his 10-foot, 3.5-inch broad jump at the Ontario Regional Combine with a 10-foot, 3-inch broad jump in Regina.
“His regional combine numbers were crazy,” said Ferguson. “That’s the fourth best broad jump ever for a running back. That just goes to show lower body explosion stuff.”
The key for Pataki, Marshall Ferguson added, will be his performance in the 40. That happens on Saturday.
“For his 40, that’s the one concerning thing about him,” said Ferguson. “For a guy that jumps so well and is that quick, his shuttle time is amazing but his 10, 20 and 40 are kind of all average so that would be my one concern that the scouts will probably wonder about.” ...

All of the top five broad jumps were recorded at regional combines. Outside of Pataki, Carter (10 feet, 3 inches), Robert Woodson (10 feet, 0.5 inches) Ante Milanovic-Litre (9 feet, 11.25 inches) and Fabion Foote (9 feet, 11 inches) had the best jumps of the day.
Foote’s broad jump nearing 10 feet stood out for Ferguson, while Laurier’s Boateng also turned heads for players of their stature.
“It’s impressive what they did with their jumps because of their weight,” said Ferguson. “When they get on the bench tonight, they’re going to put up big numbers on the bench. They’re both going to be 30 plus reps.
“To put together a vert like that to show the lower body explosion and then to add that to your bench and to show that you have weight on your body and show that you can move it is huge for those two guys.”

http://www.cfl.ca/2017/03/24/pataki-...early-combine/

[OV Argo]

Ottawa Soomer (CJFL) WR Malcolm Carter could be a great target for Ricky, if he is available. He was Justin Dunk's #4 ranked receiver (http://3downnation.com/2017/03/20/20...pect-rankings/).



http://www.ottawasun.com/2017/03/10/...-draft-combine

Carter seems like an intriguing prospect - due to 6-6 size and some excellent testing #s'; BUT - pretty unproven in college ball (didnt' do much with the Ravens and ended up in Junior ball last year); as opposed to Levi Noel who was a top stat CIS receiver before finishing in Junior ball.

IMO - Argos should not use any of their early picks on a receiver with Jones & Noel (plus Coombs) already in the fold; unless there is open competition in TC, with NIs open to compete for all jobs in the 5 pack.

[jerrym]

Dariusz Bladek may be a highly ranked prospect at the Combine who became a Canadian citizen thanks to his mother being Canadian.

One of the best Canadian offensive line prospects in the 2017 CFL Draft almost wasn’t a Canadian at all. Florida native Dariusz Bladek was in his junior season at Bethune-Cookman University when he caught the eye of the Calgary Stampeders. As they discussed the details on a potential contract, Bladek mentioned casually that his mother Joyce had been born in Canada. That would make him eligible for dual citizenship and allow him to play in the CFL as a national.
“Calgary said if you’re a national if would be better,” Bladek said. “That’s when we looked into it more.”
Bladek elected to forego his senior season, after winning the Larry Little Offensive Lineman of the Year award, and declare for the NFL Draft. He went unselected but received multiple rookie mini-camp invites. When no NFL teams offered a contract, Bladek and agents Glen Lansky and Fred Weinrauch began the citizenship process.
Due to the time it took to complete all official paperwork, he missed the deadline to be included in both the regular 2016 CFL Draft and the supplemental version a month later – “a heartbreaker,” Bladek says – but he’s been added to the list of players eligible for the 2017 pick-fest.

http://3downnation.com/2016/12/05/da...-cfl-prospect/

[jerrym]

OL Jean-Simon Roy from Laval clearly won the bench press at the National Combine finishing with 39 reps, five ahead of second place OL Samuel Narkaj of Concordia and eight ahead of third place OL Qadr Spooner of McGill.

http://www.ottawaredblacks.com/2017/...nch-39-reps-2/