Esks 2018 Mock Draft 1.0

Edmonton Elks
#1

This mock draft takes into account three things:

[ol]- The talent of each player.

  • The needs of each team.
  • The draft tendencies of each team.[/ol]

Round 1 #6 Overall - OT/OG Mark Korte or CB/DB/SGodfrey Onyeka.

Korte impressed both at the CFL Combine and at his pro day in Edmonton. He dominated on the 1-on-1’s and didn’t look out of place in the Shrine Game. His stock is on the rise from 12th in December, but how high does he rise by draft time. I have him as a top 5 pick, but he could slip to 6th and the Esks will not let the local product get past them if he does slip.

Onyeka is by far the best secondary player in the draft. He can play Corner, Halfback, Safety and even Sam Linebacker. That versatility, his size and athleticism makes him very valuable. A First Team All-Canadian three years running shows his compete level.

Round 2 #15 Overall - Traded to Hamilton for John Chick & 5th RD Pick.
Round 3 #24 Overall - Traded Franklin & 3rd RD pick to Toronto for Mason Woods.

Round 4 # 32 Overall - OG Justin Lawrence or OT/OGDavid Brown

Plenty of quality offensive linemen in this unspectacular, but relatively deep draft. Fully expect either Brown or Lawrence to slide into the 4th round as teams scramble to fill needs in areas with less depth. Both are quality players and the Esks could steal a top 25 player in the fourth round, because of a team needs drafting strategy largely deployed in this draft.

Round 5 # 37 Overall - S Dylan Bell
Round 5 # 40 Overall - SB/TEBlake Whiteley
Round 6 # 48 Overall - FB/LS David Mackie
Round 7 # 53 Overall - DT Levi Hua
Round 7 # 57 Overall - SB/TE William Watson
Round 8 # 65 Overall - SB/RB/KR Marcus Davis

#2

Eskies Mock Draft 1.5 does have some change based on post combine results and revisiting team needs. The reality is that the Esks do not have any burning needs this draft, but have some depth holes that could be plugged. The gaps for the Esks are at national Slotback, Cornerback and Offensive Tackle.

The Eskimos need a player to pair with Arjen Colquhoun, but the player that makes most sense in Godfrey Onyeka is rising up draft boards and that ship might have sailed at #6.

Round 1 #6 Overall - OT/OG Mark Korte U of A or OT David Knevel Nebraska.

The Esks will want to expand to a 4 then 5 national o-line over the next three seasons and maneuvering to take a LT will be a priority. Never discount the influence of Chris Morris on the Esks draft board and that means Korte if available will be selected by the Eskies. Korte would need two or three years development behind Beard before starting at LG and then LT, but the local Edmonton product (Spruce Grove) is the right fit.

Round 2 #15 Overall - Traded to Hamilton for John Chick & 5th RD Pick.
Round 3 #24 Overall - Traded Franklin & 3rd RD pick to Toronto for Mason Woods.

Round 4 # 32 Overall – SB/TE Justin Buren Simon Fraser or CB/KR Dagogo Maxwell UBC

Adding coach Kelly Bates, former head coach of Simon Fraser, and a need for a bigger SB that can block and receive makes Buren very attractive in the 4th round. At 6’ 1? 200 pounds Buren has a little more size than Nate Behar. Buren has decent hands and is a good blocker, but at 4.79 / 40 he is slower than Behar.

Dagogo Maxwell is fast running a 4.71 / 40 at the national combine and a reasonable size at 5’ 10? 197 pounds for a cornerback. However, it is his kick returner ability that will make him attractive to CFL teams and he will most likely not be available when the Esks pick at #32. If he is the Esks will jump at him to fill the need as decent CB’s are hard to come by in this draft, but CB’s that can also be a returner is even more rare.

Round 5 # 37 Overall - S Dylan Bell – St. FX or Royce Metchie - Guelph

The Esks need a player to play behind Jordan Hoover who will ascend to a start at some point in the next two seasons with the injuries to Neil King starting to be a concern. Bell and Metchie would both be solid special teamers and ball hawks if platooned at Safety.

Round 5 # 40 Overall - SB/TEAntony Dufour – Laval or Marco Dubois - Laval

Big body TE style blocking SB with special teams talent.

Round 6 # 48 Overall - FB/LS David Mackie - Western or FB Tanner Green - Concordia
Round 7 # 53 Overall - DT Levi Hua UBC
Round 7 # 57 Overall - SB/TE Blake Whiteley – Texas or William Watson UBC
Round 8 # 65 Overall - SB/RB/KR Marcus Davis

#3

Eskies Mock Draft 2.0, the final mock ...

Round 1 #6 Overall - OT/OG Mark Korte U of A

The6' 4" 280 poundMark Korte is a natural fit for the Esks at LG/LT with blend of athleticism and nasty run blocking. Korte can be the starting LT for the Esks someday in the future, but for that to happen SB Mark Chapman (Hamilton), CBGodfrey Onyeka (Ottawa) andDTJulien Laurent (Saskatchewan)all have to be selected before Korte. They will.

Round 2 #15 Overall - Traded to Hamilton for John Chick & 5th RD Pick.
Round 3 #24 Overall - Traded Franklin & 3rd RD pick to Toronto for Mason Woods.

Round 4 # 32 Overall – CB/KR Dagogo Maxwell UBC

Maxwell isdecent CB, but is being described by some as a sleeper pick. As a KR with reasonable size and speed he would make a solid special teamer with back-up upside. He would provide the Esks with the pairing for Arjen Colquhoun.

Round 5 # 37 Overall -SB/TE Justin Buren Simon Fraser

Buren surprised many with his combine testing and yet they have still discounted him making him another sleeper pick. At 6' 195 pounds he will need to add some size without any loss of the 4.73 / 40 speed, but he has solid hands along with a special teamer and backup with the hope of eventually evolving into a starter.
Round 5 # 40 Overall - DBAJ Blackwell UBC
Round 6 # 48 Overall - SB/TEAntony Dufour Laval
Round 7 # 53 Overall - FB Tanner GreenConcordia
Round 7 # 57 Overall -DT Levi Hua UBC
Round 8 # 65 Overall - SB/RB/KR Marcus Davis

#4

Just a day before the CFL Draft the Edmonton Eskimos have acquired Hamilton’s second-round pick (10th overall) and third-round pick (20th overall) in exchange for Edmonton’s first-round pick (6th overall) and the fifth-round pick (37th overall) in the 2018 CFL Draft.

Brock Sunderland made another smart move the Esks moved down four and up seventeen. The Esks had no real burning immediate starter needs and they are now in line to pick up platoon players that could become starters for the future. The Esks mock draft shifts dramatically due to the Esks and the Hamilton trade with Montreal.

2nd Round (10th)
Rashaun Simonise, SB, Calgary/Okanagan(platoons with field SB Nate Behar and eventually will take over when he tests free agency)
or
Godfrey Onyeka (platoons with field CB Arjen Colquhoun and eventually will take over when he takes another NFL shot)

3rd Roundb[/b]
Dagogo Maxwell, CB, UBC to help with special teams and helps with the need at Safety.
or
Nelkas Kwemo, LB, Queen’s to help with special teams now that Tuck went down.

4th Round (32nd) -Kene OnyekaDE Carleton
5th Round (40th) - AJ Blackwell DB UBC
6th Round (48th) -Justin Lawrence OG Alberta
7th Round (53rd) -Justin Buren SB/TE SFU
7th Round(57th)-Tanner Green FB/RB Concordia
8th Round (65th)-Marcus Davis SB/KR UBC