Canadians in the NFL

[jerrym]

Akiem Hicks, although born in California, played for the Regina Rams because of recruiting violations after a top ranked junior college career blocked his playing for LSU. He had 7.5 sacks, 55 DTs, 16 QB hits, and 3 forced fumbles. He turned down an offer to play for the Argos in order to go school. Here's a video of his story and return visit to the University of Regina after becoming an NFL star and a summary of his stats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t36X6ar_HY

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HickAk00.htm

[jerrym]

Twelve Canadians made NFL teams in September. Below the article is a description of how they did.

Long-snapper Louis-Philippe Ladouceur of Montreal and defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford of Windsor, Ont., both return for yet another NFL campaign with Dallas. Also, former CFL player Brett Maher opens the season as the Cowboys' kicker after surprisingly unseating incumbent Dan Bailey, the second-most accurate kicker in league history. ... He flawlessly executed 142 snaps last season (66 on punts, 38 on field goals, 38 converts).

The six-foot-four, 285-pound Crawford enters his seventh season with Dallas after being taken in the third round, No, 81 overall, in the 2012 NFL draft out of Boise State. Crawford, 28, has started 59 of 77 regular-season games with the Cowboys, registering 143 tackles, 16.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Last season, Crawford played in all 16 regular-season games — for the second time in three years — and had 27 tackles and four sacks. ...

Maher, 28, of Kearney, Neb., hit 107 of 137 field goals (78.1 per cent) with the Ottawa Redblacks (2014-15, 2017) and Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2016). The six-foot-one, 183-pound Maher played collegiately at Nebraska. ...

Right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif of Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., begins his fifth season with Kansas City. The former McGill star enters the second year of the US$41.25-million extension he signed with the Chiefs that made him the highest-paid Canadian football player in NFL history. ...

Defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd (Ajax, Ont.): The New York Jets selected the six-foot-four, 315-pound Shepherd in the third round, No. 72 overall, in this year's draft out Fort Hays State. The Canadian hasn't disappointed and is a projected starter.

Defensive lineman Brent Urban (Mississauga, Ont.): Injuries have plagued the 2014 fourth-round pick, who missed 39 games over parts of four seasons with Baltimore. But the six-foot-seven, 300-pound Urban opens the '18 campaign as the Ravens' starting defensive end.

Defensive end Christian Covington (Vancouver): The Houston Texans' six-foot-two, 305-pound defensive lineman looks to successfully come back from last year's season-ending biceps tear. The son of Canadian Football Hall of Fame defensive lineman Grover Covington is entering his fourth season with Houston.

Defensive lineman David Onyemata (Winnipeg): The former Manitoba star is entering his third season with the New Orleans Saints, who selected the six-foot-four, 300-pounder in the fourth round, No. 120 overall, in the 2016 NFL draft. He started six games last season, registering 38 tackles and two sacks.

Tight end Luke Willson (LaSalle, Ont.): Willson signed this off-season with the Detroit Lions, right across the border from where he grew up, after five seasons with Seattle. The personable six-foot-five, 254-pound Willson had 89 catches for 1,129 yards with 11 TDs during his tenure with the Seahawks while also earning a Super Bowl ring.

Tight end Antony Auclair (Notre-Dame-des-Pins, Que.): The former Laval star begins his second season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The six-foot-six, 256-pound Auclair had two catches for 25 yards in 2017.

Centre Brett Jones (Weyburn, Sask.): He begins his first season with the Minnesota Vikings after recently being acquired from the New York Giants. The six-foot-two, 312-pound former Calgary Stampeder spent three seasons with the Giants.

Receiver T.J. Jones (Winnipeg): The six-foot, 188-pound receiver/kick-returner enters his fifth season with the Lions. The former Notre Dame star appeared in 14 games — six starts — in 2017, registering a career-high 30 catches for 399 yards and one touchdown before suffering a shoulder injury.

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/n...ians-1.4808329



Ladouceur has been Dallas's LS for all of Dallas games this season.

Tyrone Crawford has had another good year, playing 15 games with 34 DT, 5.5 sacks, 12 QB hits and 1 forced fumble.

Brett Maher had been 29/36 (80.6%) in FG with a 64.7 kickoff average in 16 games.

Duvernay-Tardif, who missed much of the season with a broken fibula, started all five games before his injury and is scheduled to play in the Chiefs' AFC Championship game against the Patriots.

Nathan Shepherd had had 5 tackles and 10 assists for the New York Jets in 15 games.

Brent Urban had 27 tackles, 1 QB hit, and 0.5 sacks in 16 games.

Christian Covington had 15 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 12 games this season.

David Onyemata has 35 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 12 assists in 16 games as his Saints ready for the NFC Championship game against the Rams.

Luke Willson had 13 receptions for 87 yards for the Detroit Lions in 14 games.

Anthony Auclair had 7 receptions for 48 yards in 16 games with Tampa Bay.

Centre Brett Jones had started 3 of the 14 games he has dressed for.

T. J. Jones had 19 receptions for 190 yards and 2 TDs in 15 games for the Detroit Lions.

[AngeloV]

Brett Maher had been 29/36 (80.6%) in FG with a 64.7 kickoff average in 16 games.

Maher is not Canadian. But Akiem Hicks of the Bears, though not Canadian played for Regina Rams in Usport, so I think he should get honourary status.

[OV Argo]

Not on that list - DT Elie Ankou - plays for Jacksonville and had 4 tackles in limited action this year; Ottawa guy, and drafted by the RedBlacks.

You could put together a pretty solid all Canadian D-line for an NFL team with the guys from that list.

[jerrym]

2017 top ranked CFL prospect Justin Senior has signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. He fell to 40th as an Edmonton draft pick because of NFL interest. Senior was picked in the NFL sixth round, 210th overall, by Seattle. He spent 2017 on the Seahawks injured reserve list before being released in December of 2017 and remained a free agent in 2018. Senior joins fellow Canadians five year veteran OL Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and Argo 2018 ninth overall draft pick OL Ryan Hunter on the Chiefs' roster.

[jerrym]

2012 Argo fifth round draft pick Luke Willson has signed with the Oakland Raiders, after playing five years with Seattle and 2018 with Detroit.

[jerrym]

Former 2013 Outstanding Rookie and 2014 Outstanding Stampeder OL Brett Jones has resigned with the Minnesota Vikings.

[argolio]

2012 Argo fifth round draft pick Luke Willson has signed with the Oakland Raiders, after playing five years with Seattle and 2018 with Detroit.

I wonder what Willson would have been as an Argo. For me he's been a mediocre TE in the NFL as a receiver. His in-line blocking skills must be in demand to have lasted this long.

[jerrym]

Canadian receiver Brayden Lenius-Dickey to workout for the #Seattle #Seahawks via @JohnDHodge https://t.co/DnFrI4q2mp #NFL #CFL #Washington #Huskies #NewMexico #GoLobos #NCAA #Vancouver #VanCity pic.twitter.com/8gWBhOd111

— 3DownNation (@3DownNation) April 10, 2019

[jerrym]

After four years with the Baltimore, DE Brent Urban, who played for the University of Virginia, has signed with the Tennessee Titans. In the CFL he was drafted by the Tiger Cats.

[jerrym]

Here's a comprehensive list of players and their teams in NFL training camps.

https://3downnation.com/2019/07/30/a...raining-camps/

[Foxhound]

What's this NFL thing of which you speak?

[paulwoods13]

Couple of updates on Ryan Hunter:

https://www.baytoday.ca/local-news/h...he-nfl-1631689

https://www.nugget.ca/sports/local-s...-his-nfl-dream

https://www.kshb.com/sports/nick-jac...oster-for-2019

https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2019...n-depth-chart/

https://mavensports.io/chiefs/gm-rep...0SHHvD9baKLrg/

Two reporters at Chiefs camp have him failing to make the 53. However, even if that happens I'm guessing he will either stick around on practice squad or look for NFL work elsewhere. Would be great to get him up here but I don't see it happening in 2019.

[jerrym]

After the preseason here is what happened to some of the Canadians in the NFL.



https://www.tsn.ca/canadians-playing...2019-1.1359747

[jerrym]

Argo 2012 draft pick Luke Willson has resigned with the Seahawks following his being released by Oakland.

Willson spent the 2018 season playing for the Detroit Lions. He grew up in LaSalle, ON a 30-minute drive across the border from Ford Field where the Lions play their home games.

The 29-year-old has 102 career catches for 1,216 yards with 11 touchdowns in 86 games through six years, the first five with the Seahawks. He has 13 catches for 154 yards and one score in the playoffs, including two receptions when Seattle routed Denver in Super Bowl XLVIII. ...

Seattle drafted the Rice University product in the fifth round, 15th overall in 2013. A year earlier the Toronto Argonauts picked Wilson in the fifth round, 32nd overall during the CFL draft.

https://3downnation.com/2019/09/25/c...ttle-seahawks/

[jerrym]

The Giants have released WR TJ Jones who had 67 receptions for 852 yards in six years with Detroit and New York.

The University of Notre Dame product made three catches for 38 yards and one touchdown plus eight punt returns for 96 yards — including a 60-yarder – but fumble three times, losing two in three games with the G-men.

Jones caught 12 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns in the pre-season with New York. Due to his veteran status, Jones is not eligible for a practice roster spot with any NFL team.

Through parts of seven seasons, Jones has made nearly $4 million. Jones could have the makings of a CFL ratio-changer if he ever comes north of the border. The 27-year-old Jones would be a free agent for CFL purposes.

https://3downnation.com/2019/10/01/n...ver-t-j-jones/

[doubleblue]

Akiem Hicks, although born in California, played for the Regina Rams because of recruiting violations after a top ranked junior college career blocked his playing for LSU. He had 7.5 sacks, 55 DTs, 16 QB hits, and 3 forced fumbles. He turned down an offer to play for the Argos in order to go school. Here's a video of his story and return visit to the University of Regina after becoming an NFL star and a summary of his stats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t36X6ar_HY

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HickAk00.htm

I had never heard that about the Argo offer and wasn't DT Stephan Charles on that same Regina team? I see in a NFL magazine that Hicks is rated #3 in the League at his position for teams that run the 3-4 defense. Good story!

[jerrym]

DL Brent Urban, 2013 15th overall Hamilton draft pick, has signed with the Chicago Bears, after playing 41 games and making 45 DTs and 3.5 sacks with the Baltimore Ravens. He was drafted 134 overall in the 2014 NFL draft, after playing for the University of Virginia.

[jerrym]

DB Tevaughn Campbell has been put on the Los Angeles Chargers active roster. He played four years in the CFL with Calgary, Saskatchewan and Montreal and was in the NY Jets TC earlier this year.

[jerrym]

LB Alex Singleton, who was considered a National because of his parentage, has made the Philadelphia Eagles active roster and had a tackle in his first game.