2022 Draft

[paulwoods13]

IMO almost any player who signs as a UDFA can reasonably expect to make a practice roster somewhere. They won't all achieve that, but they will all have reasonably realistic expectations of achieving it. If you make it as far as the main camp, you're gonna be looking for a PR job somewhere if you don't make the main roster. On the other hand, guys who get "only" an invitation to rookie mini-camp are real longshots and there's a decent chance we will see them up here this year.

[gilthethrill]

The signing of UDFA players in the NFL ahead of the CFL draft really kills a lot of the interest in the upcoming draft which sucks.
Top Canadian prospects can bounce from practice roster to practice roster and still make much more $$ than starting in the CFL.

With NFL teams being able to carry up to 16 players on the PR (a bit excessive IMO) thats a lot of players unavailable. Argo draft pick Ryan Hunter might make a million in his career with very very limited game action.

[paulwoods13]

With NFL teams being able to carry up to 16 players on the PR (a bit excessive IMO) thats a lot of players unavailable. Argo draft pick Ryan Hunter might make a million in his career with very very limited game action.

Which is why almost any guy with even a slim chance of making a PR will wait around for that opportunity rather than come north. It's a sad reality that some of the best Canadian talent will never set foot on a CFL field yet will see limited or no action in the NFL, while still making good coin.

[SkalbaniasGhost]

With NFL teams being able to carry up to 16 players on the PR (a bit excessive IMO) thats a lot of players unavailable.

You are going to see those NFL roster sizes(Active/Practice) get even bigger in the next 24 months. Demaurice Smith's term as head of the NFLPA expires after the Super Bowl in February. The NFL wants to go to an 18 game regular season and Smith has been the biggest obstacle to making that happen.

[Argo57]

Which is why almost any guy with even a slim chance of making a PR will wait around for that opportunity rather than come north. It's a sad reality that some of the best Canadian talent will never set foot on a CFL field yet will see limited or no action in the NFL, while still making good coin.

I do not blame them at all, good money without all of the physical wear and tear.

[Shatto]

Before we get too downhearted about players being signed as Undrafted Free Agents, it is interesting to note that within the present Argo roster (American players) 10 were drafted by NFL teams and 33 were originally signed as UDFA players. Sometimes a team has to play the long game.

[OV Argo]

Argos take O-lineman Gregor MacKellar (StFX) with their 1st pick - massive lineman (sizes listed so far on the CFL site for draft picks are wrong and do not reflect the measurements from the Combine = talk about incompetence ?) and an AUS all-star at OT.

[jerrym]

MacKellar is a big guy ranked #19 in the Scouting Bureau rankings and also had a couple of years training with Div I Rice University so hopefully that helped sharpen his skills.

[OV Argo]

2nd pick = Dionte Knight - if he shows up - love this pick - guy who can probably play reps at both DE & DT

[jerrym]

DL Knight won the J. P. Metra Trophy as the Most Outstanding Lineman in USports football last year, making him a great pickup at #10 overall, but he has NFL rookie invites with Washington and Tampa Bay, so the question is when might we see him.

[Mightygoose]

Knight is also part of the return in the Arbuckle trade. Could end up very well for us in hindsight

[OV Argo]

RB Adeboboye next - nice pick IMO - understudy to Harris and a big strong guy who might do well on STs.

[jerrym]

Adding Canadian RB depth in Adeboboye, who had a 4.7 yard rushing average in the NEC Bryant Bulldogs and also played on special teams, is important in helping maintain the Canadian ratio.

[Mocha]

Adding Canadian RB depth in Adeboboye, who had a 4.7 yard rushing average in the NEC Bryant Bulldogs and also played on special teams, is important in helping maintain the Canadian ratio.

It's also a bonus that he was born in Toronto. I haven't read anything about how long he lived there or if he still has family there. Anyone know?

[OV Argo]

Disappointing and some reach late round picks IMO; like the first few though.

[jerrym]

LB Enoch Penney-Laryea, draft pick #26, had great numbers at the Combine raising his draft status and has experience at LB, RB and DE. Probably a STer.

[jerrym]

OL Brandon Noll is going back to Wilfrid Laurier, so is a long-term development project.

[ArgoRavi]

DL Knight won the J. P. Metra Trophy as the Most Outstanding Lineman in USports football last year, making him a great pickup at #10 overall, but he has NFL rookie invites with Washington and Tampa Bay, so the question is when might we see him.

Most who get mini-camp invitations won't get an NFL contract so chances are much better that he will end up in Toronto in a few weeks. Of course, it's not a sure thing.

[Argo57]

Argos seemed to do well in the draft last night, admittedly I am basing my opinion on the analysis of the TSN panel.
My winner of the night was Marshall Ferguson who I thought was outstanding on the panel, quite apparent he knows what he is talking about and articulates his thoughts very well and would be a fantastic addition to the game day panel when not working in the booth.

[paulwoods13]

In Magri we trust.

If there is one thing we've learned the last few years, it's that Vince Magri knows how to draft. Look at the evidence:

2019: Richards, Smith, Boateng and Gittens are still with the team, O'Connor and Simba are still in the league. Gittens is entrenched as a starter and potential star, and both Richards and Smith are capable of starting.

2020: All seven players we drafted are still with the club; six of them dressed regularly last year; one (Acheampong) is starter-calibre for sure; one (Baker) went back to school but will be in camp.

2021: Four guys are still with the club, including one starter (Nicastro who was Eastern rookie of the year). The other three picks are all good enough to be with NFL teams at the moment -- if any of them ever get up here, 2021 will be a hugely successful draft.

Given this evidence, I'm happy to predict that we will look back on 2022 as another strong infusion of NAT talent. If Magri thinks MacKellar is the second-best o-lineman in the draft, that's good enough for me. Knight and Adeboboye look like superb additions, Penney-Laryea and Noll have impressive credentials, and I won't be surprised if one or two of the later picks hang around for a few years.