Final Scouting Bureau Rankings

[url=http://www.cfl.ca/article/final-scouting-bureau-rankings-released]http://www.cfl.ca/article/final-scoutin ... s-released[/url]

The link above is for you to look at the rankings going into the draft on May 12.

Curious on your thoughts of who would select who or your thoughts on some individual players.

I want to comment on Brandon Bridge (QB, U-South Alabama) making an appearance at the top of the 3rd round (19th overall). I see three possible teams drafting him, but I do believe having this "Canadian Curse at QB" may drop him to the end of the 4th or top of the 5th.

Ottawa for is my top pick to get him, to develop behind Burris for at least a year or two (if he doesnt retire after this season) and then hire Burris to coach QB's to further aid in his development. Maybe we'll see the first Canadian starting QB in a forever, in the nations capital.

BC seems to be a close contender in my mind to draft him, develop him behind Lulay (if he can even play anymore) and with that IF they are the weakest team at QB in the league right now.

Toronto is a smart possibility as well. Ray has 2 very good years left and maybe another 2 years of above average play. Put this kid 3rd on the depth chart behind Harris and let him learn from the best QB in the league and one of the better offensive minds in Scott Milanovich. (Seems to make the most sense to me but they still come third as I don't think they would reach for Bridge higher than their 5th round pick).

What do you guys think?

Ottawa might well be a team that could select Bridge late in the draft. I think we can take Covington, Boyko and Varga out of the first round moving everybody up a few notches.

Ottawa should trade their 1st overall for a top 2-5 pick and a later 3rd/early 4th rounder or a good depth veteran.

I think Bridge drops further than round 3, part because he's a Canadian QB and part because he's got NFL first aspirations and could be a late round NFL draft pick or priority NFL FA signing after the draft. CFL teams may be willing to draft other position players like OL that have NFL aspirations and wait but not a QB IMO. Toronto or Calgary IMO would be interested teams as Huf and Barker seem to be the most likely to give a Canadian QB a shot given their past history with Branigan and Sinopoli.

Remember to take the rankings with a grain of salt as well. These are not independent rankings but made from input of CFL GMs, coaches, and scouts. There's plenty of reason to upgrade or downgrade some players based on special interests. Christian Covington and Tyler Varga are both highly ranked but have a lot of NFL interest as well which usually means they slip into the middle rounds before teams take a future gamble. I would guess Calgary takes a flier on either of them with one of their three picks in the 3rd round.

Christian Covington, son of Grover jumps to Number 1

[url=http://www.thestar.com/sports/football/2015/04/24/christian-covington-jumps-to-no-1-in-cfl-final-prospect-rankings.html]http://www.thestar.com/sports/football/ ... kings.html[/url]

Would love to see a second generation Covington in the CFL. (a Canadian one this time to boot)

However, he has gotten some attention south of the border too.

I'm surprised that more people aren't excited that for the first time ever a Canadian QB is in the top 10 of the Canadian draft.

While I won’t speak for everyone else I feel it seems he is not really one of ours. He just carries the passport. Maybe I’m wrong, perhaps I do not know or have read enough about him but NCAA not CIS, NFL not just chance to play the position, etc etc make it seem more like any other American coming through.

Don’t get me wrong have nothing against any of that or him as a player or person just do not see him in the same light as Sinopoli or Brannigan or the kid from Manitoba this year.
Maybe what it proves is not that you can’t be Canadian qb just that you can’t be one if you went to a CIS program. And the argument for/ against that is as divisive as the citizenship one.

The article says he’s listed at #19 overall, or did i miss something?

It’s IS exciting.

What i don’t get is why exactly would a team draft a QB, using a pick on a player who doesn’t count towards their ratio totals in any way? If I was a GM, i’d wait it out and pick him up as an undrafter FA, or, as we’ve seen for the last 30 years, just source a player out of the US football mill.

Disincentive indeed.

I’ve said that in other forums too. I think along the same lines. The CIS QBs will never get a serious look because they play CIS ball and there’s too many QBs down south that play in bigger games in front of bigger crowds and get more exposure. While there will be the occasional interest in one of the CIS QBs, the ones more than likely to get a legitimate chance to play QB will have come from the NCAA system. But it’s not just QBs though. Canadians at all positions that come from the NCAA system have a bit of a leg up on the draft board for many of the CFL teams.

Obviously the only reason would be if they were exceptionally high on the player as a QB and didn’t want him to hit the open market; or high on him as an athlete to convert to another position where he would help the ratio (but likely would not then be listed as a QB).

This guy would have to be in the QB category as he has enough skill to get NFL attention, so he is unlikely to want to switch positions as CIS QBs have over the years.

Brandon’s a Canadian through and through; just he played at two NCAA programs and started 10 games down south.

Lots of advantages for the guys that play NCAA over CIS (longer season, strength of competition for starters) and at the skill positions it can be extremely noticeable.

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/Rids

If you are only good enough to start 10 games in the minors.. Then how are you going to play in the pros? CFL quarterbacks are all good enough to be NFL starters.. It is just circumstance that they are in the CFL.. The grave yard of failed NFL quarterbacks who then fail in the CFL is very lengthy.. Not a single successful CFL quarterback other than Archer and Tolliver played in the NFL first... and that was 20 years ago.

This actually get me thinking.. When is the last time a former CFL QB even played in the NFL? Was it Burris? The answer to the reverse question is Max Hall.. Stupid Mack thought this was the NFL.. He is an idiot. Cleo Lemon was just as bad, but givin a longer rope..

Jeff Garcia?

Graham Harrell went from the Riders to the Green Bay Packers.

Haha… you got me… Jeff Garcia played in the NFL after Burris did, but he played in the NFL before he did too… I guess you got me on the fact my question was not worded properly… hats off to you…lol

never played a down for either team

Well, truthfully I wasn’t sure if you meant someone who’s initial pro experience was the CFL or not, which is why I worded it as a question.

But even if he qualifies as an exception and is the only guys since Burris, I’m pretty sure your point is still made. Very few start their career in the CFL, excel, then do the same thing in the NFL. And it’s not like Burris did so great…