TORONTO — The 2023 CFL Draft is just days away as all nine teams get ready to add the next generation of Canadian talent to their rosters.
I really like Mr. Ferguson as a CFL commentator on TSN broadcasts; and appreciate his keenness on reporting on the CFL. But his CFL draft commentary and other CFL analysis often features many reaches, mistakes and very iffy comments; just IMO of course. ;o)
I agree with you. It’s all conjecture in any case. But I can’t see Riders not going OL, BC & Wpg going DL makes sense as well.
I don’t see Edm going DT. Pelley is apparently penciled in @ DT beside Ceresna this year but lots of NFL interest in him. Bet on him gone next year. WIL, SAM & Safety are all likely CDN, so DT will be import long term. With Behar, Bruggeling, Smith & Durant, I’m not sure the REDBLACKS will go Receiver either.
But, hey, I wouldn’t want the job. You’re going to be wrong more often than right. For me, I have some interest in rounds 1 & 2 most years but that’s it.
I like Ferguson too, but then he does stuff like this and I shake my head.
he admittedly needs more mock practice. And has he paid attention to drafts of the past and invested in hindsight trends?
5 OL to the Riders? Lol. FIVE!!! Did I count that right. That’s like not even thinking about the team and just saying they are really bad so… Did he not notice Fajardo caused 20 sacks by himself. And that the AMERICAN tackles added at least a dozen each. 5 Oline!! That’s crack smoking worthy. Come on.
First round draft is a disaster too.
Falling in love with every Montreal kid going to the ALS! Lol. Yes. It happens. As do local leaning picks for every area and team. It’s true. But not everyone. Lol.
Again, 5 OL to the Riders? Too funny.
Ottawa proved last year they will use the “extra” territorial pick like it’s extra. I bet they gamble that Wayne and Sutherland, who both signed as credentialed UDFA NFL camp picks, will be grabbed as a territorial type. Are they not both eligible? Anyone who takes these guys earlier than round 3 is insane. Imo. I’ll watch with great curiosity if I’m out to lunch. They stand a good chance of being actually drafted in the 7th round. Highly likely they stay south for quite awhile imo. Or rise and become NFL 53 game day players.
As an Alouettes fan, I would’t mind using the 13th pick OA on one of those guys. We did draft Marc-Antoine Deqoy and Pier-Olivier Lestage in the 2nd round even if they UFDA and it work out very well for us.
Makes perfect sense. These guys aren’t going early & the territorial would be the logical place to take them.
As the title of this post implies, that hypothesis is that Jeremy O’Day Don’t Draft O-lineman… or at least, he does not believe that it is a priority.
Here’s some stats to back my claim:
In 4 years as GM, he has drafted a total of 6 O-lineman. Of those, only 2 were drafted in the 1st or 2nd round (and thus far have combined for 0 starts and 1 game played)
In those same 4 years he has drafted 6 receivers. Of those, 4 were drafted in the 1st or 2nd round.
He has used exactly 1 of his 4 first round picks on an OL.
In half of his drafts he has not drafted an OL until the 5th round.
Do these look like the actions of a GM who believes in making Canadian OL a priority? Or someone who thinks the secret to winning a Grey Cup is Canadian receievers?
Interesting signing by Ottawa - former Elks draft pick (5th round 2021) O-lineman Peter Kourtis (went back to AUS ball last year and was named all-star C there; put up 21 bench reps at his CFL Combine and has good size at 6-4, 306). Seems like as good or better a resume than a number of the O-linemen being talked about for this draft, and the RedBlacks were just able to sign him as a FA - and which might lessen their need to look O-line this draft.
Edit - now notice the Riders have signed former Ottawa draft pick (6th round 2021) O-lineman Matt Derks. And maybe they’ll add 5 more with draft expert M. Ferguson’s advice. ;o)
Good info. Thanks for sharing and doing that dig. The last point raised my eyebrow for sure.
But…They had great stalwarts on the Oline. guys like Shepley left for the south. Labatte retired early due to Covid crap. Etc. not to mention receiver talent got old that had been around for awhile. Baggs and Getzlaf had careers wrap up. So it makes more sense when looked at with a broader brush imo.
He’s done fine. He values OL.