On the Clock: Tiger-Cats

The Ticats have many options with the third overall pick in the CFL Draft. Our CFL Insiders explain below.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/

With #1 ranked Tyrone Crawford picked #81 overall (3rd Round) by the Cowboys in the NFL Draft, my bets on the Roughriders surprising many by picking #3 ranked Shamawd Chambers with the first pick in the CFL and then Tillman will take Ben Heenan, as ranked, at #2. Then, the best bet for the Cats, with the #3 pick, would be Austin Pasztor, OL Virginia, whose hometown is Langton, ON, west of Port Dover. So, in the CFL, there should be no place he'd rather be. My thoughts would change if Chambers, Heenan or Pasztor are picked in the remaining 4 rounds of the NFL Draft.

OL Austin Pasztor has signed with Vikings. He was thought of to be an option for us at #3.

The majority of Canadians fans seems to want the Canadian ratio in the CFL but the Canadian players would sooner play in the NFL. Maybe its time we eliminated the Canadian ratio and have Canadians and Americans compete on an equal bases just like in the NHL. A lot of them would be lucky to get a job in the CFL then.

I like the CFL more than the NFL but if I'm a football player I would choose the NFL over the CFL if there was a choice for me simply for the chance to make the big money until such time it seems like I could do better in the CFL with the money. Simply all about money.

Its fine let them go down and try for the big money but when they come back let them compete with Americans. Most won't make it and we'll see better football. The players are loyal to big money and the fans are loyal to good football.

While I am not in favour of eliminating the canadian ratio, I surely hope that when a new agreement is discussed/signed the number of canadian starters will be reduced from 7 to 5; I would leave the total number of non-imports as in.

With the NFL increasing the training camps rosters by 10 players or a grand total of 320,our best eligible players for the CFL drafts will,year after year, go/sign with an NFL team; mind you,most of them will be back but only when the season is half gone.

Richard

With Pasztor gone to the NFL, at least for awhile, and expecting that Chambers and Heenan will be picked 1 & 2, I now think the Cats should be looking at 8th ranked Jabar Westerman, DL, Eastern Michigan. He's from Brampton while all other available picks, ranked higher, have a Quebec connection and will likely be looking to get back "home" after their initial contract. Another thought, for serious consideration now, might be trading away the third pick.

Hey Ottawa, thanks for talking about the draft instead of the ratio . Talk about “kicking a dead horse”. The Cats first pick could still be Austin Pasztor, the guard from Virgina. His ranking in the NFL draft was 35th among guards but #691 overall. If he doesn’t make it through the Vikes minicamps, he could be at McMaster in June. Plesius, the linebacker from Laval, is a possibility. Obie has been pretty quiet about whether we will draft for “need” or take the best athlete on your board. I think we need OLine and receiver depth.
In Obie we trust.

Pat Lynch (the old guy)

Pat’s right on all counts, again.

Currently the roster has six N/I Olineman competing for three starting positions, Moe Petrus would make seven. Ideally it would be nice to have four N/I starters and the way to do that is drafting talent like Pasztor.

Even if Sam does the inevitable and suits up in black & gold we’ll be thin at N/I receiver. Putting my GM cap on I predict someone decent will be available with the tenth pick. Perhaps Sam would appreciate a fellow Sherbrooke alumni living in Hamilton.

Agreed. We already didn’t have the Canadian depth for 7 starters – with the new NFL rules and Ottawa eventually coming back into the league, the quality is going to drop considerably, unless we reduce the number to 5.

In any case, I’d think that drafting a NI O-lineman would be the top priority for the Cats at the moment.

Well with Tyrone Crawford going to the Cowboys, Shamawd Chambers getting a tryout with the Eagles, Austin Pasztor signing with the Vikings, and Christo Bilukidi drafted by Oakland…

The best available are now looking like this…

#1 - OL, Ben Heenan
#2 - LB, Frédéric Plesius
#3 - DE, Ameet Pall
#4 - DL, Jabar Westerman
#5 - REC, Simon Charbonneau-Campeau
#6 - OL, Matt Norman
#7 - REC, Ismaël Bamba
#8 - REC, Johnny Aprile
#9 - DL, Juston Capicciotti
#10 - DB, Keenan MacDougall
#11 - OL, Kirby Fabien

I am looking a OL - Matt Norman from Western, at 6’4", 329 lbs, he put up the 3rd best bench press reps out of all the offensive lineman in the e-camp with 27, he is a strong, great sized player who would have a good chance of starting right away for us at Guard.

Now he was born in Châteauguay, Quebec, but played his college football in London, Ontario, for the University of Western Mustangs so he is comfortable playing in southern Ontario which is also a big plus in my books. Now having University of Western Alumni in Andy Fantuz and Jonathan Hood, might also influence Norman to stay a Tiger-Cat long after his rookie contract expires unlike other draft picks we have invested a ton of time in, only to have them walk away and leave us with a hole to fill… cough Rottier cough

So Matt Norman is my #1 pick for this years draft, he will help fill a desperate need for Canadian offensive lineman.

Now with the 10th overall pick I think we should look at drafting OL - Jason Medeiros from McMaster, at 6’4", 315 lbs, he put up 24 reps. in the e-camp bench press. Medeiros is born and raised in Hamilton played for his hometown and now National Champion McMaster Marauders. I see Medeiros being a starter in the CFL for years to come and I would love for him to do that at home for the Ti-Cats.

After adding two much needed depth players in Norman and Medeiros with our #3 and #10 picks I think the Ti-Cats should look for depth players on the defensive line and linebacker or even receiver with the #17 and #22 picks. Then maybe a couple future guys (players with a year of eligibility left) with the #25 and #33 picks.

Hey G Bonds, some very good ideas. I can't wait for Thursday. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

Pat Lynch (the old guy )