Well our season is over, and the next thing forward to look forward to for the Ticats is the 2007 draft. Here is a totally premature, poorly informed, first two rounds of a mock 2007 draft (I hope none of these guys are dead )
2006 Season
Had six receptions for 61 yards and one touchdown reception against Central Michigan…recorded six receptions for 73 yards in win over Clemson…made four catches for 35 yards against BYU…had two catches for 31 yards at North Carolina State…had three catches for 36 yards against Maine…made three catches for 45 yards and two touchdown receptions in win over Virginia Tech…had 41 reception yards on four carries at Florida State
The Ticats probably need a large receiver, an offensive lineman and a defensive back in the early rounds.
Jabari Arthur (Akron) is probably the best large receiver available and Mike Gyetvai (Michigan State) would be a good choice at offensive tackle. However, as they are both juniors, the Ticats would probably not see either player at training camp until at least 2008.
Another player for the Ticats to consider drafting is Burlington native Tad Crawford (6'3", 194 lbs). He is the starting free safety at Columbia in NCAA Division 1AA. In 6 games this year, Crawford has made 63 tackles (42 assisted, 21 solo).
Our #1 top priority in the draft should be a big, fast Canadian receiver who can potentially start this year. If we can get two of them with our first two picks in the first round, I say we pull the trigger twice in that regard. It would be great if we could get both a speedy, big, surehanded WR, and a tough, big, surehanded slotback.
Morreale is on his way out, Fleming has shown nothing in a real game, and Peterson was cut. Ralph is our only good Canadian receiver right now. We are VERY thin at Canadian receiver.
Our O-Line will be much better next year with the talent we already have (Hudson, Smith and Cheron, who were all banged up in 2006, should be healthy by 2007; and Filice, Hage, Donnelly and maybe even Gourgues can all start), and the two highly-touted guys we drafted last year (Dyakowski, and the all-star French-Canadian center from Central Florida, who both played in college last year). Hopefully those last two will play with us in the CFL rather than in the NFL. They are both very good, and might get a look down south.
I'd say our other most pressing need would be a Canadian D-Lineman who can start. I can't see Dunbrack or Pilon making the team next year, and other than Clinton Wayne, we have no Canadian D-Lineman who can push the pocket. We wasted a draft pick on Shawn Mayne last year (he didn't make the team), but might get another, more highly touted 2006 Cat draft pick (DL Jermaine Reid, who played his final year of college ball this year) in camp in 2007. But again, Reid is good enough that the NFL might be interested.