At this weeks free agency presser, Kyle Walters basically confirmed that we will be taking a centre with our 2nd overall pick in this years CFL draft.  The two top rated centre's are Pierre Lavertu and Matthias Goossen. 

 

Who do you think the Bombers should take? 

 

Are there any Canadian College football guru's who can provide analysis/scouting reports on each? 

 

Which of these OL's is more CFL ready? 

When you look at the draft record of the Als compared to the Bombers from 2004 - 2013, and consider that for most of those years the Als finished ahead of us, it's deplorable to consider the state of this team's O-line over the last number of years. Whether trading away the first pick by Taman or Mack taking a flyer on a project with the first or second pick, the draft history (particularly the offensive line where games are generally won or lost) is an embarrassment and certainly helps explain to some degree why we are where we are. A top flight QB wouldn't have hurt either but we had a decent one and deemed him expendable ... 

It is sad that the Als generally had a better record and drafted much better olinemen. Hopefully we get a good one in round 1 and then some quality with our other picks.

I don't see that much difference between Lavertu and Goosen, so either way, we ought to be in good shape to draft a starter who is a center. This is no small hole to fill, and even if Morley is serviceable at center, he is still just a stop-gap.

If I may suggest: Mack has taken up enough time and space here. He was a dreadful GM, so let him fade into obscurity.

When it comes to this team's draft record, Taman and Kelly also bear some responsibility, not just Mack. Horrible, horrible drafting (as far as o-line). Some guys like Henoc and even Watson were no brainers IMO ...

Montreal whiffed on a lot of their offensive line picks as well .. but with the volume dedicated to the position .. they unearthed guys who became stalwarts for them .. as I said in the original post .. not every draft pick pans out or will make it at the next level .. but continually bringing in guys .. year after year .. helps position you to find those guys who *will* be successful. .. they also continued to draft linemen when they didn't explicitly have a *need* for it .. future thinking .. sustainability ..

When it comes to this team's draft record, Taman and Kelly also bear some responsibility, not just Mack. Horrible, horrible drafting (as far as o-line). Some guys like Henoc and even Watson were no- brainers IMO ...

I have never understood the thinking that went into naming a rookie head coach a GM as well. It seems to me that stepping up from being an assistant or junior coach to being a head coach is hard enough without adding the responsibilities of being a GM as well. I remember Jeff Reinbold being interviewed halfway through his first miserable season and he was almost begging for the GM role to be delegated to someone else. I'm not sure that would have saved his bacon, but it sure didn't help him at all. I felt sorry for him- he didn't set out to be a disaster but that's the way it turned out.

Goosen was a center at SFU & a good one so I hope the Bombers draft him. 

maybe we trade up to get a second rounder to nab both guys?

maybe we trade up to get a second rounder to nab both guys?

They'll both be taken in the first round.

maybe we trade up to get a second rounder to nab both guys?

They'll both be taken in the first round.

ok, so then we trade up to get another first rounder?

 

 

 

Walters is a canadian talent guru.. If there is value to be had with those picks, he will find it.. Diamonds in the rough..

 

Is he? We simply don't have enough of a background on him to say whether he is or isn't. 

 

He was well hidden by the egomaniac Mack. I've read numerous comments about Walters wanting to pick someone but being overridden by Mack (Poblah, Ettienne). Walters had a place in the BB org and Mack made sure Walters knew where it was.

 

yes yes everyone talks about the Mulumba vs. Edem thing, but what about Muamba vs. MItchell? Bottom line is we don't know just how good Walters is because there's no track record. We don't know which picks the Bombers made were ones he wanted or ones that Mack wanted. Until such time as he shows one way or the other it is very premature to label Walters as a guru. For all we know he's a guy who talks a good game. Gotta prove it before you get labelled a guru. 

Gotta prove it before you get labelled a guru.

Guru is a bit strong, I agree. Actually way too strong. Knowledgeable, yes.

When it comes to this team's draft record, Taman and Kelly also bear some responsibility, not just Mack. Horrible, horrible drafting (as far as o-line). Some guys like Henoc and even Watson were no brainers IMO ...

I love how people discredit every good selection made by Mack. There were tons of people that wanted guys like Sisco and Scott Mitchell picked over Watson and Henoc.

Then explain our horrible situation with our Canadian depth? Who was responsible for that, the equipment manager?

Then explain our horrible situation with our Canadian depth? Who was responsible for that, the equipment manager?

years of neglect mostly. 

I am no fan of Joe Mack, but he inherited a situation where we were already without a lot of picks. We ended up having no first and second in 2009, no first and third in 2010, and no second in 2011), largely due to previous GMs. His draft record is not stellar, but he had far less picks to work with than other GMs.

I had a long dissertation on the Joe Mack draft record from 2010-13 & the lack of success he had over that time compared to other GMs in the CFL. You know what, I was going to post it but I'm sick & tired of the Joe Mack merry go round that I just said **** it & deleted it.

 

yes yes everyone talks about the Mulumba vs. Edem thing

 

 

Only Bomber fans. Hamilton fans moan about the Gaydosh vs. Edam thing. Hindsight is always ... .

 

When it comes to this team's draft record, Taman and Kelly also bear some responsibility, not just Mack. Horrible, horrible drafting (as far as o-line). Some guys like Henoc and even Watson were no brainers IMO ...

I love how people discredit every good selection made by Mack. There were tons of people that wanted guys like Sisco and Scott Mitchell picked over Watson and Henoc.

 

 

 

The problem is those were the only two good selections.  Either way, we are moving forward now and Kyle should be judged based on what happens from now out, not by what we think happened or want to believe happened during previous drafts. 

 

 

When it comes to this team's draft record, Taman and Kelly also bear some responsibility, not just Mack. Horrible, horrible drafting (as far as o-line). Some guys like Henoc and even Watson were no brainers IMO ...

I love how people discredit every good selection made by Mack. There were tons of people that wanted guys like Sisco and Scott Mitchell picked over Watson and Henoc.

 

 

 

The problem is those were the only two good selections.  

 

well I don't believe that's correct but whatever. 

 

 

 

When it comes to this team's draft record, Taman and Kelly also bear some responsibility, not just Mack. Horrible, horrible drafting (as far as o-line). Some guys like Henoc and even Watson were no brainers IMO ...

I love how people discredit every good selection made by Mack. There were tons of people that wanted guys like Sisco and Scott Mitchell picked over Watson and Henoc.

 

 

 

The problem is those were the only two good selections.  

 

well I don't believe that's correct but whatever. 

 

I suspect if you looked at macks draft record it would be on par with other gms in the league. I feel Mack's biggest flaw was inhuman patience. He was acting as if he had 10 years to build a competitive team. Too many projects, too many guys who had to return to school, etc.

The most damning fact of Mack's reign was Chris Kowalczuk staying here as long as he did. Here's a guy who's 29 years old who hasn't progressed beyond being the 7th(?) O lineman in his time here and yet he's still on the team. Eventually you have to cut these guys loose and get some new blood in there.

 

I'm starting to like Walters more and more, he get's it.

 

 

 

 

When it comes to this team's draft record, Taman and Kelly also bear some responsibility, not just Mack. Horrible, horrible drafting (as far as o-line). Some guys like Henoc and even Watson were no brainers IMO ...

I love how people discredit every good selection made by Mack. There were tons of people that wanted guys like Sisco and Scott Mitchell picked over Watson and Henoc.

 

 

 

The problem is those were the only two good selections.  

 

well I don't believe that's correct but whatever. 

 

I suspect if you looked at macks draft record it would be on par with other gms in the league. I feel Mack's biggest flaw was inhuman patience. He was acting as if he had 10 years to build a competitive team. Too many projects, too many guys who had to return to school, etc.

The most damning fact of Mack's reign was Chris Kowalczuk staying here as long as he did. Here's a guy who's 29 years old who hasn't progressed beyond being the 7th(?) O lineman in his time here and yet he's still on the team. Eventually you have to cut these guys loose and get some new blood in there.

 

 

I just don't think the NI or drafting was something that is a valid criticism. He liked his athletes that's for sure, the problem was they never developed which to me is a coaching problem and that was Macks biggest flaw. Didn't hire the coaches who could develop his projects for him. 

The problem with Mack's drafting wasn't so much who he picked, he just drafted the wrong positions.