Quote Originally Posted by doubleblue View Post
Top three rated picks are NCAA OLinemen. Knevel (Nebraska), Rutherford (Connecticut), Hunter (Bowling Green) and the Godber (Rice) at #6. Knevel at least will probably be in a NFL camp and maybe the others as well.
But I'm starting to think teams should look at the CIS linemen a little closer for their top picks. Winnipeg did take Geoff Gray high this year and will have to wait for him.

However, history is showing the top picks out of the NCAA are not exactly tearing up the League. Some are starting to look like busts, while the CIS Olinemen are starting and excelling.
Ottawa's 1st over all pick in 2015 Alex Mateas out of Connecticut is finally starting in his third year. But CIS players Winnipeg's Sukh Chungh and Argos McEwen taken the same year have started almost from day one. OG Dillon Guy out of Buffalo is on his 3rd team still looking for a roster spot.
2016 top pick NCAA's Josiah St. John has been slow to break into the starting line up in Regina. While Ottawa's Lauzon-Seguin out of Laval has turned out to be the best, starting at RT for his second year. Other Laval guys that same year Villiancourt (BC) and Gagnon (Montreal) have started around injuries as well. Revenberg out of NCAA II has started some for Hamilton.
This year the top pick out NCAA Iowa DT Faith Ekakite looks like a bust. I know everybody's different, but you look at the History of these Canadian NCAA linemen compared to the CIS players and it's not very good IMO. So the smart money this year just might be on the six Canadian OL's that are rated in the top 17, with the top CIS guy at #5 is Darius Ciraco (6'4 300) out of Calgary U and a Burlington native. But Popp loves his NCAA guys. Mason Wood. meh. If they thought he was any good he would be in uniform as a back up by now. Jamal Campbell out of York looks like the only one who is going to be any good.

OV has converted me to the CIS. lol You want good Canadian offensive linemen, look no further than Calgary and Laval. They recruit well, the players are well Coached and they know the Canadian game.
IMO - good scouting should be looking strictly at the players' game film & skills/abilities, plus testing measureables and not assuming.

The Bombers could have picked Junior Luke out of Montreal in the CIS over Ekakite out of NCAA ball for DTs - we shall see how that pans out.

I liked Brian Jones as an Argo 1st round draft pick, but now wish they would have picked Vaillancourt (multiple time CIS all-star O-lineman out of the proven Laval hogs factory) instead - and at a position where NI players get more shot to play in the CFL, plus a real Argo area of need.

Tough call with drafting. I wouldn't necessarily pass on one of those NCAA O-linemen this coming draft, but take a good look at a few of those CIS guys as well.