First "Top 20" rankings released today.......

https://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/article/iowa-offensive-lineman-tops-cfls-first-scouting-bureaus-top-prospects-list/

TORONTO — Alaric Jackson, an offensive lineman at the University of Iowa, has the No. 1 spot in the first edition of the CFL scouting bureau’s top-20 prospects for the 2021 draft.

The six-foot-six, 315-pound Jackson is a native of Windsor, Ont. He’s entering his senior season at Iowa, which kicks off its ’20 campaign Oct. 24 at Purdue.

 

Jackson started 10 of Iowa’s 13 games last season at left tackle. He redshirted in 2016 but has started for the Hawkeyes since 2017.

The CFL released its top-20 list Thursday.

Calgary’s Amen Ogbongbemiga, a senior linebacker at Oklahoma State University, was the second-ranked prospect. The six-foot-one, 235-pound Ogbongbemiga has registered a team-high 22 tackles (12 solo) and 1.5 sacks in three games for the No.10 Cowboys (3-0).

Ogbongbemiga had 100 tackles last season and was named the Cowboys’ top defensive player.

Vancouver’s Terrell Jana, a receiver at Virginia (1-1), is at No. 3. The six-foot-one, 200-pound Jana has nine catches for 84 yards and a TD this season after registering 74 receptions for 886 yards and three touchdowns in 2019.

Josh Palmer of Brampton, Ont., a receiver at Tennessee, holds down the No. 4 spot. The six-foot-two, 210-pound senior has 10 receptions for 156 yards and two TDs for the Volunteers (2-0).

At No. 5 is Ottawa’s Liam Dobson, a six-foot-three, 340-pound senior offensive lineman at Maine. Dobson’s ranking comes despite the Bears not starting their season until the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dobson enjoyed a stellar ’19 campaign, earning All-CAA first-team honours and being voted as Maine’s top offensive lineman. He was the school’s highest-graded offensive lineman for every game and averaged 12 knockdowns per contest.

 

Dobson contributed immediately upon arriving at Maine in 2017, appearing in six contests (one start) as a freshman. He became a full-time starter in 2018.

The remainder of the top-10 includes, in order, includes: New Mexico State offensive lineman Sage Doxtater (Welland, Ont.); North Carolina State defensive lineman Daniel Joseph (Toronto); North Carolina defensive back Patrice Rene (Ottawa); Maine linebacker Deshawn Stevens (Toronto); and West Virginia defensive back Alonzo Addae (Pickering, Ont.).

The first 10 selections were all from NCAA programs, not a surprise given U Sports cancelled its 2020 season due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. The top Canadian collegian was Montreal offensive lineman Pier-Olivier Lestage, of Saint-Eustache, Que., at No. 11.

The other U Sports selections included Calgary Dinos offensive lineman Logan Bandy of Calgary (No. 12), Saskatchewan defensive back Nelson Lokombo of Abbotsford, B.C. (No. 14), British Columbia linebacker Ben Hladik of Vernon, B.C., (No. 16), Calgary linebacker Grant McDonald of Tsawwassen, B.C. (No. 19) and U.B.C. linebacker Nick Cross of Regina (No. 20).

Defensive back Deane Leonard, who helped Calgary win the Vanier Cup last year before transferring to Ole Miss for 2020, was ranked. No. 13.

4 minutes ago, Colin Unger said:

Do we really need to draft another offensive lineman at this point?  I would sooner see us look at  middle linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga as a potential ratio breaker down the road. 

Are you me? That's exactly what I was thinking. 

 

Even when we lose Speller, we're pretty deep. We'll probably have to go out and replace Bryant at some point but we're not drafting an LT. 

Just now, Colin Unger said:

Do we really need to draft another offensive lineman at this point?  I would sooner see us look at  middle linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga as a potential ratio breaker down the road. 

highly doubt we pick an o-lineman with our first...we go best player available who isn't NFL camp fodder...I almost think we may not even pick one this year until late, if at all

When you have Neuf..Desjarlais..Couture..Gray..Eli and possibly Speller all in house and only at most 4 of them rostered there's no need, especially when other than Neufeld they are all 26 or under and we also have Kolankowski in the mix, who has CFL game experience and is only 28

I see us targeting a DT then DB/linebacker types and receivers

I'm a big believer that you can never have enough quality NI OL, and I think Walters is a believer in that, too. I fully expect us to take OL with a pick that high...

2 hours ago, Noeller said:

I'm a big believer that you can never have enough quality NI OL, and I think Walters is a believer in that, too. I fully expect us to take OL with a pick that high...

I don't disagree in principle.  But at some point we are going to start losing these guys for nothing because they will leave for opportunities elsewhere. 

I think BPA this year given our OL situation. Also don't see us taking a FB in round 2.

I think it's best to do a future pick this draft. A player that will sign with NFL and might stay there for a bit (kinda like Gray). We still have our 2020 picks to figure out if they belong (although no OL). We don't have glaring needs, maybe few ST'ers especially when Briggs, Miles, Exume & Rush will not re-sgin.

9 minutes ago, M.O.A.B. said:

I guess it's time to start watching 3-minute long YouTube highlight videos to determine who the Bombers should draft. 

On 2021-01-19 at 3:48 PM, Colin Unger said:

Do we really need to draft another offensive lineman at this point?  I would sooner see us look at  middle linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga as a potential ratio breaker down the road. 

Amen to that.

On 2021-01-19 at 3:48 PM, Colin Unger said:

Do we really need to draft another offensive lineman at this point?  I would sooner see us look at  middle linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga as a potential ratio breaker down the road. 

I think you should probably draft an NI ol every single year. Doesnt mean he has to be a guy whose a high pick though. Due to the glutt of ol talent we've let go some pretty good developmental OL guys in the previous few years. I think that continues, but I dont think a high pick OL is likely at all. 

 

Honestly I could see DL being an area they target with a high pick.

I could still see them taking an OL. Although, I hope not. Argument being that you will lose them to injury, retirement, free agency, etc. and it's best to always be developing the next one(s).  

 

Maybe Walters picks an NFL bound player with the hopes that they shake loose? 

another thing to keep in mind is that we still haven't seen last year's picks in a camp yet. There's going to be so many bodies this year, I wonder if they go with futures picks, if for no other reason than we've got too many people to properly evaluate as it is and don't want to add to it...

White receiver with weird hair and a frail body with our first pick  

Canadian qb with the first pick.

I trust our Canadian scouting (though it would have been much more difficult this year).

Positional needs likely won't factor into the decision unless its an offensive lineman.

After that it's picking BPA with some consideration of NFL opportunities.

On 2021-01-19 at 2:54 PM, JCon said:

Are you me? That's exactly what I was thinking. 

 

Even when we lose Speller, we're pretty deep. We'll probably have to go out and replace Bryant at some point but we're not drafting an LT. 

Never can have enough Hoggies.

On 2021-01-19 at 4:48 PM, Colin Unger said:

Do we really need to draft another offensive lineman at this point?  I would sooner see us look at  middle linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga as a potential ratio breaker down the road. 

I agree that you guys should draft Ogbongbemiga.  People seem to forget that you can find Olinemen outside the first round.  Teams will have a chance at a ratio breaking MLB and couple CBs, this year.

Our Man Tait with another really great piece about what should be the CFL Combine right now.... worth your click!

https://www.bluebombers.com/2021/03/30/2021-cfl-virtual-combine-poses-challenges/

24 minutes ago, Noeller said:

Our Man Tait with another really great piece about what should be the CFL Combine right now.... worth your click!

https://www.bluebombers.com/2021/03/30/2021-cfl-virtual-combine-poses-challenges/

I was really curious about how itd work with cheating like he touched on. But like he said they draft mostly based on film and production, they arent Al davis drafting who every wins the work out portion of the combine. 

I will miss the 1 on 1s though, I think thats a big loss. 

I honestly think the one-on-one interviews are going to weigh HEAVILY.... getting a sense of a kid's personality/attitude will mean a lot.

On 2021-01-21 at 10:22 PM, SpeedFlex27 said:

Canadian qb with the first pick.

SamCanadian??

34 minutes ago, Noeller said:

I honestly think the one-on-one interviews are going to weigh HEAVILY.... getting a sense of a kid's personality/attitude will mean a lot.

Osh only needs to know if the kid is tough enough to wear shorts in a Winnipeg winter.   The rest can be taught. 😅

 

 

1 hour ago, Noeller said:

I honestly think the one-on-one interviews are going to weigh HEAVILY.... getting a sense of a kid's personality/attitude will mean a lot.

I think thats always huge for the canadian mafia.  They always look for guys who are tough nasty and very football smart.