Laval defensive tackle Etienne Legare and University of Alberta offensive tackle Simeon Rottier have been chosen to play in the East-West Shrine Game next month in Houston:
http://www.tsn.ca/story/?id=259050
Given that it seems to be a thin draft year for NCAA trained Canadian offensive linemen (other than Zac Carlson of Weber State), one would surmise that the Ticats will take a close look at Rottier as a potential first round pick as it would allow them to develop a much needed non-import offensive tackle.
A good young DT would be nice. We certainly need talent in that area.
Some guys have a hard time making the transition from college to pro. Its a huge speed and strength upgrade. Look at Bekasiak… that guy was a 1st round pick in 07 and his size made me very optimistic but after 1 season as a backup DT he was asked to switch to the OL. Did he ever even see live game action at OL? He was hurt for most of 08.
So I guess my point is that the coaches need to properly evaluate guys before drafting.
#77 Zac Carlson 6'4" 300 Junior Guard San Jacinto California.
I am curious as to how he qualifies as a Canadian? Roster Prospects on the CFL site list Bill McGrath,Indiana State #78 6'5" 275 and Martin Bedard,tight end, UConn,#91 6'3" 239 as Canadians playing in the NCAA who are draft eligible.Perhaps Carlson is a hidden gem? :?
Pat Lynch (the old guy in section 7)
I really like the idea of us picking up Rottier and Carlson with the #1 and #3 picks in the draft. And I think it's doable, since I can see Toronto picking Jamaal Lee at #2 to help their running game. The only stumbling block might be if Rottier and Carlson attract NFL interest.
Rottier is a little undersized for the NFL at 286 pounds. And as far as Carlson, Tsoumpas was a better prospect last year and he did not attract any NFL interest. Don't get me wrong, I'd have no complaints if we selected them both, just think neither has a realistic shot at the nfl.
If the Ticats do want to draft players who would be eligible to attend training camp in 2009, then Simeon Rottier would be preferable to Zac Carlson, who is a junior at Weber State and would not be available until 2010.
Duane Forde's report also mentioned that Tristan Black, an athletic linebacker with good size (6-3, 243 lbs) playing NCAA Division 2 football at Wayne State, is a senior this year and will be ready to attend a CFL camp in 2009. Black led his team with 101 total tackles in 2008. Maybe he can be developed into a ratio-changing middle linebacker for the Ticats over the next year or two.
Interesting updates from Duane Forde. Zac Carlson was unknown as a “non-import” to many people I’m sure. Caleb Clarke has been mentioned before as a non-import but it was also reported he didn’t qualify. Now apparently he does.
Funny rules IMO when we have a DE at Rutgers Jamaal Westerman although born in the States played some high school football in Toronto but is an import for CFL purposes. Carlson and Clarke have grown up in the States and played all their football there yet are non-imports.
From my soap box I continue to suggest the CFL scrap this 'born in Canada raised in the States" rule and allow 1 or 2 of their veteran imports to be classed as non-imports. When they retire or are released then the team would be able to replace them with the next in line. A fairer way to all teams of allowing players that are really imports to play as non-imports.
A couple of players in the NCAA that Duane didn’t mentioned that I thought were draftable juniors are starting DL at Stanford Brian Bulcke 6’04 275 and Houstan MLB Shomari Williams 6’02 245.
That is a brilliant idea! if they play here long enough they become non-import :rockin: :thup: It's just such a good idea on so many levels. Especially if they actually make their homes here and their kids go to school here and they work in the community in the off-season. Lots of Canadians weren't born here but we don't call them 'imports' we call them immigrants and eventually, if they stay here long enough and qualify we call them 'Canadians' and rightly so. Great idea. If that was your idea.
That was the way the CFL decided who was import or non-import for many years. Then someone threatened discrimination if I recall correctly so the deep thinkers running the CFL at that time came up with the present hodge podge rule. (If you spend 5 years in Canada before your 15th birthday or play your high school football in Canada you are classified as a non-import. There’s another little quirk in there as well, as they allow players who have never played football until they enroll in a Canadian University be a non-import also.)
Back when you were a non-import as long as you had Canadian citizenship. American players would come up and spend 5 years in Canada and the take out Canadian citizenship to play as non-imports. Hamilton was probably the biggest beneficary of that rule with such greats as John Barrow, Angelo Mosca, Bernie Faloney and Tommy-Joe Coffey became instant non-imports.
Other players born and raised in the US also became Canadian citizens if one of their parents was a Canadian.
Players such as Bill Danychuk, Ted Page, Bronco Nagurski and Ron Ray became Canadian citizens this way.
No wonder Hamilton was a power house back then, their starting lineup was almost all US trained athletes.
