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.

I think you're looking for something that isn't there and finding it.

18 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

I think you're looking for something that isn't there and finding it.

Yea...I saw no difference from management on this pick than any other 1st round pick we've ever made.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2021/05/05/walters-breaks-2021-draft-picks/

Dobson, Rene and Weekes will all be heading back to school in the fall, so will not be in training camp this summer.

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

https://www.bluebombers.com/2021/05/05/walters-breaks-2021-draft-picks/

Dobson, Rene and Weekes will all be heading back to school in the fall, so will not be in training camp this summer.

Perfect salary cap management. 

it's been mentioned several times since Tuesday that we took futures picks because we still have to evaluate last year's draft class, and having two years of draft class in camp along with everyone else would be way too much. Spreading things out a little bit now....

10 minutes ago, Noeller said:

it's been mentioned several times since Tuesday that we took futures picks because we still have to evaluate last year's draft class, and having two years of draft class in camp along with everyone else would be way too much. Spreading things out a little bit now....

Yup I fully expected a few futures pick. Not sure why anyone would have an issue with that as the CND content of this team is solid.

27 minutes ago, Noeller said:

it's been mentioned several times since Tuesday that we took futures picks because we still have to evaluate last year's draft class, and having two years of draft class in camp along with everyone else would be way too much. Spreading things out a little bit now....

It also speaks to the depth they have built up where they feel they don't need immediate help. It's such a huge change from where this team was even 3 or 4 years ago.

29 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

Yup I fully expected a few futures pick. Not sure why anyone would have an issue with that as the CND content of this team is solid.

It was inevitable. We may 3-4 open positions on our entire roster for NAT players realistically. If we were to draft ready to go players we would be releasing 2-3 really good NAT players with 2 draft classes coming in the same year. Other teams will all be in that same boat too. This is a year that can see some teams close the disparity gap between the NAT haves and have not teams because a higher proportion than normal good draft picks will be getting their walking papers because they just aren't ready to displace the NAT vet ahead of them. Take a team like Hamilton who has 6 top 20 draft picks over the past 2 years and already really good NAT talent, how do they roster them all if they all come to camp this year.  Sometimes you just don't have a choice but to take futures from an asset management POV.

Edited May 7, 20214 yr by GCn20

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

It was inevitable. We may 3-4 open positions on our entire roster for NAT players realistically. If we were to draft ready to go players we would be releasing 2-3 really good NAT players with 2 draft classes coming in the same year. Other teams will all be in that same boat too. This is a year that can see some teams close the disparity gap between the NAT haves and have not teams because a higher proportion than normal good draft picks will be getting their walking papers because they just aren't ready to displace the NAT vet ahead of them. Take a team like Hamilton who has 6 top 20 draft picks over the past 2 years and already really good NAT talent, how do they roster them all if they all come to camp this year.  Sometimes you just don't have a choice but to take futures from an asset management POV.

AND other challenged clubs (cept' us cuz we're pretty deep) are just waiting it out to pick the Cat's bones......Too many of their talented crop will find homes elsewhere....Nice to have an embarrassment of riches...but it has it's pitfalls...In the end spreading the talent is very good for the league

On 2021-05-05 at 10:42 AM, Bubba Zanetti said:

Jade Etienne? All 150lbs of him. Its his 10th year draft anniversary!

I remember being all over that pick as I just hated it. We might as well have slept thru our second pick that first round & missed it for all the good his selection did us. 

On 2021-05-07 at 4:13 PM, SpeedFlex27 said:

I remember being all over that pick as I just hated it. We might as well have slept thru our second pick that first round & missed it for all the good his selection did us. 

I don't know. It was an off the wall pick to be sure but if he could have bulked up a bit he may have had a CFL career. He wasn't our worst first round pick ever. I don't even think that pick was as bad as Faith Ekakitie. Sometimes you just whiff on a player even Walters, who btw, was our assistant GM for the Etienne, Mulumba, Poblah, and Penser picks and GM for Ekakitie. Not saying the previous players are Walter's fault but you can't completely absolve him of responsibility for them either. As our head of CDN scouting and ass't GM he had more than a little input too. Mack picked guys brought to him by Walters he didn't pull these names out of a hat. They shouldn't have been on the list, particularly Penser and Etienne. 

Edited May 19, 20214 yr by GCn20

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

I don't know. It was an off the wall pick to be sure but if he could have bulked up a bit he may have had a CFL career. He wasn't our worst first round pick ever. I don't even think that pick was as bad as Faith Ekakitie. Sometimes you just whiff on a player even Walters, who btw, was our assistant GM for the Etienne, Mulumba, Poblah, and Penser picks and GM for Ekakitie. Not saying the previous players are Walter's fault but you can't completely absolve him of responsibility for them either. As our head of CDN scouting and ass't GM he had more than a little input too. Mack picked guys brought to him by Walters he didn't pull these names out of a hat. They shouldn't have been on the list, particularly Penser and Etienne. 

I recall hearing after Mack’s departure that he sat in the draft board room, and when the scouts and Walters all talked about a player, it was not uncommon that 5 people would recommend one guy, Mack was the lone outlier wanting someone else, and in the end Mack got his way because he was the GM and that was just how it was going to be. I vaguely recall Walters alluding to the fact that in his first draft as GM it was going to be enjoyable to have his opinion considered. Taking Poblah off the supplemental draft in favour of the top pick in the regular draft, moving up to grab Pencer with his injury history and off-field issues, Etienne and his size, Johnny Aprile getting picked up as a receiver and then Mack immediately declaring they were going to convert him into a DB - so many off the board picks that defied everyone else’s conventional wisdom, including his own staff’s. 

18 hours ago, GCn20 said:

I don't know. It was an off the wall pick to be sure but if he could have bulked up a bit he may have had a CFL career. He wasn't our worst first round pick ever. I don't even think that pick was as bad as Faith Ekakitie. Sometimes you just whiff on a player even Walters, who btw, was our assistant GM for the Etienne, Mulumba, Poblah, and Penser picks and GM for Ekakitie. Not saying the previous players are Walter's fault but you can't completely absolve him of responsibility for them either. As our head of CDN scouting and ass't GM he had more than a little input too. Mack picked guys brought to him by Walters he didn't pull these names out of a hat. They shouldn't have been on the list, particularly Penser and Etienne. 

Being the asst GM to joe mack is about as much decision making power as a secretary at goldman sachs. Ekakitie was for sure the worst pick of the mafia era though. But to be fair, the first 3 rounds may have produced 3 starters and like a single all star nomination.  But atleast ekakitie and etienne had the physical tools to excel in the cfl game, and had decent heads on their shoulders. Pencer is maybe the worst pick in club history. 

20 hours ago, GCn20 said:

I don't know. It was an off the wall pick to be sure but if he could have bulked up a bit he may have had a CFL career. He wasn't our worst first round pick ever. I don't even think that pick was as bad as Faith Ekakitie. Sometimes you just whiff on a player even Walters, who btw, was our assistant GM for the Etienne, Mulumba, Poblah, and Penser picks and GM for Ekakitie. Not saying the previous players are Walter's fault but you can't completely absolve him of responsibility for them either. As our head of CDN scouting and ass't GM he had more than a little input too. Mack picked guys brought to him by Walters he didn't pull these names out of a hat. They shouldn't have been on the list, particularly Penser and Etienne. 

I remember reading a story when walters was Asst GM & implored Mack not to make a certain pick. he refused to listen. So to me, mack was totally resoonsible as he had the final say. You say Etienne might have made it had he bulked up? He never did so he wasn't prepared to do the work to be a legit CFL player. 

Someone said we may have just as well slept through some of those pic's....I believe sleepy Joe was snoozing....What a disaster that man was....

Edited May 21, 20214 yr by Stickem

I have seen some depressing stuff in my 40 years of Bomber watching, but I would say that the 52-0 Labour Day blowout right after Mack fired LaPo is the single lowest in-game moment I have witnessed in club history. Does anything rank lower to others?

1 hour ago, Stickem said:

Someone said we may have just as well slept through some of those pic's....I believe sleepy Joe was snoozing....What a disaster that man was....

I think it was more of Mack trying to be a genius and pulling picks from wherever, hoping to score big. But, we know that's a losing strategy. 

 

24 minutes ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

I have seen some depressing stuff in my 40 years of Bomber watching, but I would say that the 52-0 Labour Day blowout right after Mack fired LaPo is the single lowest in-game moment I have witnessed in club history. Does anything rank lower to others?

That entire season was depressing. Knowing we played at least 3 starting qbs who never would have made the Rifles that year just made it worse. 

Edited May 21, 20214 yr by SpeedFlex27

1 hour ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

I have seen some depressing stuff in my 40 years of Bomber watching, but I would say that the 52-0 Labour Day blowout right after Mack fired LaPo is the single lowest in-game moment I have witnessed in club history. Does anything rank lower to others?

I was at that game and spent a good portion of the 2nd half at the bar.

I was in Grand Forks for that game. I remember walking back into the Canadinns, where I finally got wifi coverage again, and swearing right near the doorway. A guy about 20 feet away, who I hadn't noticed yet, gave me a look and I apologized. He said, "you must have just checked the score." 

Edited May 21, 20214 yr by JCon

All this fond reminiscing about the good old days of the  Mack era does make me wonder what the board who chose him was smoking at the time. Mack had to know that he was horribly ill-suited to be GM.

17 hours ago, Tracker said:

All this fond reminiscing about the good old days of the  Mack era does make me wonder what the board who chose him was smoking at the time. Mack had to know that he was horribly ill-suited to be GM.

I sure don't reminisce about Mack fondly. Who was the Bomber President at the time? He was horrible. That was during the time fans & taxpayers were finding out that the stadium would take an extra year to finish. 

3 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

I sure don't reminisce about Mack fondly. Who was the Bomber President at the time? He was horrible. That was during the time fans & taxpayers were finding out that the stadium would take an extra year to finish. 

Garth “frosted tips” Buchko. Was dealt a bit of a bad hand with many things related to Mack and stadium issues out of his control, but ultimately he does have to wear the failures too. Not trying to make excuses for him, he was very fallible. 

On 2021-05-22 at 12:18 PM, TrueBlue4ever said:

Garth “frosted tips” Buchko. Was dealt a bit of a bad hand with many things related to Mack and stadium issues out of his control, but ultimately he does have to wear the failures too. Not trying to make excuses for him, he was very fallible. 

Wasn't he caught on video dressing down & berating one of the Bomber employees which led to him resigning??

On 2021-05-21 at 10:57 AM, TrueBlue4ever said:

I have seen some depressing stuff in my 40 years of Bomber watching, but I would say that the 52-0 Labour Day blowout right after Mack fired LaPo is the single lowest in-game moment I have witnessed in club history. Does anything rank lower to others?

The one against BC in 2013 at home where we got blown out?