Well that’s pretty cool…The Sun identifies some Ottawa property.
[url=http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/01/19/ottawa-cfl-team-crafts-negotiation-list]http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/01/19/ott ... ation-list[/url]It's top secret no more.The Sun has learned that the 25-man negotiation list for Ottawa’s CFL team went into effect on Friday.
For years, CFL neg lists have been guarded like they’re a national treasure. But the Sun has identified seven of the 25 players whose rights belong to Ottawa – guys who could make an impact here for years to come.
Ever heard of quarterback David Fales?
With Fales at QB, San Jose State went 10-2, with the school’s first-ever BCS ranking and first AP Poll ranking since 1975. He was then MVP of the Military Bowl.
Four or five years down the road, this could be Ottawa’s QB.
How about wide receiver/kick returner Jamill Smith from Ball State?
He’s a 5-foot-8, 140-lb. sparkplug. He’s been called too short, too small. But the kid can flat-out play. Think Gizmo Williams.
The kid was a quarterback in Division 3, but wanted to play Division 1 and moved to receiver.
Ball State QB Keith Wenning said of Smith to FOX Sports: “He’s proven that size doesn’t matter. He’s not scared to go up against anybody.”
Those are the kinds of guys who Ottawa’s special scout Rick Worman, a former CFL QB and assistant coach, has taken notice of during his travels over the last months – a journey which has given him 75,000 Air Miles and taken him from coast to coast, top to bottom of the U.S.
“I’ve been a one-man band,” said Worman. “Planes, rental cars … I’ve seen a lot of games. I’m trying to find somebody who is not going to fit in the NFL for whatever reason.”
CFL teams have a 35-man neg list. Ottawa will be allowed to add 10 more bodies down the road.
“It’s 99% U.S. players on the list traditionally,” said Worman. “The Canadian guys go through the draft. I’ve tried to set up the list with a variety of players by position. We try to put down guys who have good, not necessarily great ability.”
It’s proven especially important to identify quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, linebackers, defensive backs and defensive linemen through this kind of a list. Some of these players, many with a year of college eligibility left, will be good enough to stick in the NFL; some won’t.
“It’s first-come, first-served (with the neg list),” said Worman. “Once you put him on there, he’s yours until you take him off.”
Part of the reason for keeping these secret is if a player finds out he’s on a list, he can ask to be signed. If the team doesn’t want to do it, that player can ask to be released.
“If I put somebody down who was on an NFL roster or somebody who had just graduated, we wouldn’t be able to sign him and we could lose him,” said Worman.
It’s all pretty exciting – attaching names to a franchise that hasn’t yet been named, a team that won’t hit the turf for another year and a half.
Football is in the air.
tim.baines@sunmedia.caTwitter: @TimCBaines
OTTAWA’S PROPERTY
RB Zach Bauman, Northern Arizona
5-foot-10, 200 lbs. Ranks fifth in school history with 2,494 career rushing yards in 22 gamesQB David Fales, San Jose State
6-foot-3, 220 lbs. Threw for 3,798 yards with 31 TDs last season; MVP of the Military Bowl, completing 33-of-43 passes for 395 yardsLB Kyle Van Noy, BYU
6-foot-3, 235 lbs. 53 tackles, 13 sacks, six forced fumbles, two interceptions; third-team All-American; potential high draft pick in NFL, but will remain at school next seasonDB Nickell Robey, USC
5-foot-8, 165 lbs. 49 tackles, one interception; cornerback already declared for this year's NFL draft, but size makes him potential CFLer; second-team All Pac-12;DL Niasi Leota, Utah
6-foot-4, 278 lbs Six tackles last seasonWR Justin Brown, Oklahoma
6-foot-3, 214 lbs. Caught 73 passes for 879 yards, five TDs; transferred from Penn State before last seasonWR/KR Jamill Smith, Ball State
5-foot-8, 140 lbs. Caught 69 passes for 706 yards and 6 TDs; first-team All-Mid-American Conference</blockquote>