What was there about 20 guys picked who weren't on the main list? Augustine didn't get picked. I would rate Popp's picks in lower half of the teams. Which isn't surprising going by his history. He got some good players in the past picking red shirt juniors like Bourke, Perrett, Blake etc. but can't do that anymore. The hope has to be that Woods and Woodson eventually turn into starters.
I don't know anything about his experience, but based on size and speed Evan Foster might do well if converted to MLB. If he has played any LB at all I could see that happening. Otherwise I hope he's a very special special teamer.
If one guy becomes a starter eventually, you've had a good draft. If two or three guys become regulars on special teams for at least two years, you've had a good draft. If one guy becomes a starter immediately, you've had a very good draft (or your incumbent NAT talent is very poor). If two become starters eventually, you've had an exceptionally good draft. If two become starters immediately, you've hit it out of the park (or your incumbent NAT talent is worse than poor).
Based on that (admittedly overly simplistic) formula, I'd say we have a decent chance to have had a good draft. Have to believe my son Mason Woods has starting potential, but probably not this year. We likely got a couple of good STers, and there's at least a chance we get a second starter out of the group eventually. Obviously we won't be able to truly evaluate this draft for 3-4 years (unless they are all busts) but considering our draft position and the belief that it was a thin draft crop, I think we did fairly well.
Year of the Rocket: John Candy, Wayne Gretzky, a Crooked Tycoon, and the Craziest Season in Football History (https://sutherlandhousebooks.com/pro...of-the-rocket/)
Bouncing Back: From National Joke to Grey Cup Champs (https://bit.ly/3fvip5x)
YOTR YouTube https://bit.ly/37jtG4f
BB YouTube https://bit.ly/2TSYPs7
He's not really my son, but Bear is my uncle and Tiger is my cousin.
Year of the Rocket: John Candy, Wayne Gretzky, a Crooked Tycoon, and the Craziest Season in Football History (https://sutherlandhousebooks.com/pro...of-the-rocket/)
Bouncing Back: From National Joke to Grey Cup Champs (https://bit.ly/3fvip5x)
YOTR YouTube https://bit.ly/37jtG4f
BB YouTube https://bit.ly/2TSYPs7
Consider my chain successfully yanked!
Woods has the masssive O-line size + Div I starting resume = maybe a starter sooner than later but he is behind vets like Holmes, Deane & Dyakowski for a guard spot; they might think with his height/reach he is a potential OT down the road, but doubtful IMO; just like Sackey & Campbell are IMO doubtful to get a real shot to be CFL starting OTs.
Woodson is a CIS all-star D-half with some very good athletic testing #s; very doubtful he gets a real shot to play D-half (where the Argos have huge need but there Canadians just don't get to play in the current GOB CFL) but he will probably be viewed as a future safety who could maybe also be a decent back-up CB or D-half? I'll be very interested to hear where he lines-up in TC.
Evan Foster is sort of a wild-card pick this draft IMO; under-sized maybe at DE but strong & athletic and a real play-maker on D in CIS ball; Joe Montford was an all-time great CFL DE cause he was super strong & quick despite being small compared to most DEs; and Alex Bazzie got plenty of CFL DE playing time as a rush end for Wally in BC and he's same size range as Foster; love to see Foster make the roster and at least get some D reps at DE to see what he can do; bet he can be a force on STs at least to start too.
Amongst Ottawa's key Canadian starters/contributors (i.e not just GOB 7 only) for a GC winning team last year: D-linemen Gascon-Nadon (signed away from the Ticats), Zack Evans (let go by Riders in the expansion draft), Ettore Lattanzio (drafted by Winnipeg but cut after they tried to convert him to a fullback); receiver Sinopoli - exposed by the Stamps in the expansion draft; RB Keenan LaFrance (late round draft pick); H-back Lavoie (expansion draft too i think?) and O-linemen Gott & Deane (expansion draft = let go by other CFL teams).
Ottawa has made some nice draft picks who have become key starters - Connor Williams, Pruneau, Nolan MacMillan, Lauzon-Seguin - but they have also given Canadian talent more opportunity than all other CFL teams last year.
Drafting smart helps lots; so does having lots of respect for Canadian talent that you can acquire as FAs, thru trades or cuts from other teams. Teams are free - in the Canadian Football League - to load up on as many NI players for TC competition as they wish - far as I know anyways; but the typical thinking sees wayyyy more imports in TC and getting to compete for open jobs.
Sorry, but I'm not seeing the connection between the former and the latter. If you are already set at a particular position (as, for instance, the Argos seem to be at centre), why take the best available player if he plays that same position? If you have lousy talent across the board (which we don't), take the player who is best suited to your particular needs.
Year of the Rocket: John Candy, Wayne Gretzky, a Crooked Tycoon, and the Craziest Season in Football History (https://sutherlandhousebooks.com/pro...of-the-rocket/)
Bouncing Back: From National Joke to Grey Cup Champs (https://bit.ly/3fvip5x)
YOTR YouTube https://bit.ly/37jtG4f
BB YouTube https://bit.ly/2TSYPs7
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