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2014 CFL Draft blog


Mike

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Very nice analysis...great job. I agree with most, but I just don't see Coombs going in the first round. But if he does, Sask does make some sense with the loss of Sheets.

 

I feel like I'm somewhat compensating with Coombs because I swore up and down that Lumbala wouldn't go first round last year and he went 5th overall. Made me change my mind on how I view Canadian running backs a bit and I think Coombs has more potential than Lumbala. Maybe I'm just out thinking myself though.

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Good read Mike, although admittedly I don't know a ton about anyone not named Lavertu, Duvernay-Tardif, or Goossen.  Can agree with your logic on Foucault over Lavertu for Ottawa based on need... but can't help but think Ottawa would draft him if they think he's the best OL in the draft, and try to insert him at G for 1-2 yrs before Hage retires. 

 

Wishing we had a 2nd round pick right about now... if your projection on Duvernay-Tardif sliding out of the 1st round happens, I'd spend a 2nd on him, and wait patiently.  Of course Walters would have a better idea on his NFL aptitude, but if he's projected as a lower round pick in the NFL, I think he's worth a 2nd round pick.

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I am slowly being convinced that Lavertu may go back to school this year to finish his degree. So it he does, is he still as appealing to us?

 

No, I don't believe so.

We have to be careful this time.

IMO, we gotta get some sort of value out of this pick.

It'll be good for the team psyche to get back on track with a good draft pick.

A bonafide starter, in reasonable time, would be ideal, but he has to be on the roster in some way this year.

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I am slowly being convinced that Lavertu may go back to school this year to finish his degree. So it he does, is he still as appealing to us?

 

IMO that shouldn't make a difference.  Just take the best player... realistically this isn't going to be a one-year turnaround so we shouldn't be skipping out on a better player just to get someone in camp this year.

 

Now, if there is legitimate NFL interest, then that should obviously weigh into the decision as well.

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Good stuff.  

 

The only two I can comment on specifically right now are Coombs and Gill.  

 

I'm bullish on Gill.  If I'm Ottawa, I'm taking him first overall.  He's going to be a great CFL player for a long time.  The concern is his potential to do the same in the NFL.  He's up there with a guy like Gaydosh in terms of best DL to come through CanadaWest in my generation IMO, but a much better athlete who's body will withstand the grind of pro football and he'll be able to play all over the place.

 

For Coombs to go in the first round, someone would really have to fall in love with him.  I don't believe his running style (he's sort of like the RB equivalent of a scrambling QB, and he doesn't run with a lot of power) will stand up to the CFL and he'll have a big transition to make to learn how to use blocks to get 4-5 yards every play rather than trying to bust every carry into a 20+ gain.  I don't expect Coombs to impress physically at the combine either, some teams care about that, some don't.  This draft is really shallow though, so it is much more possible for him to go high than any other year.  Also worth noting that everyone pegged him as a CIS DB because they didn't think he could pull off what he did at Sturgeon in CIS, so maybe he's just that good.

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Gill will likely go high first round.  He has the speed, the strength, and the size to impress everyone at the combine.  His only downside might be his interest from the NFL.  

 

Coombs will show off his speed at the combine, but I'm not sure that he will go first round.  The concern on Coombs is his size/power.  He has incredible balance, and that along with his speed allowed him to shine at the CIS level.   If he got a glimps of daylight, he was gone.  I think the CFL teams will look at him as a kick-returner, and a change-up back.  I'm not so sure that they will look at him as a starting RB.  As such, I suspect he will fall to the second round. 

 

The big wild card in this draft is Duvernay-Tardif.  I wouldn't take him second overall, but if I was drafting in the bottom of the 1st round, I'd have to consider it. 

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Very few NI get an opportunity to return kicks for some reason. Marco Iannuzzi is one of the very few that come to mind in the past 3 or 4 years. Anybody else come to mind for anybody else? 

 

And I mean return more than 15 kicks to be really considered. 

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I am slowly being convinced that Lavertu may go back to school this year to finish his degree. So it he does, is he still as appealing to us?

I don't think or hope so. We need help NOW. We can't afford to waste another pick. We have to improve our Canadian strength before we can start to improve as a team. Drafting Lavertu & he returns to school would be a bad outcome. 

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I am slowly being convinced that Lavertu may go back to school this year to finish his degree. So it he does, is he still as appealing to us?

I don't think or hope so. We need help NOW. We can't afford to waste another pick. We have to improve our Canadian strength before we can start to improve as a team. Drafting Lavertu & he returns to school would be a bad outcome. 

 

 

If we need help now, then I'm not so sure picking Lavertu (if available) would be the best idea. Maybe they'll be able to gauge his interest more at the combine.

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Very few NI get an opportunity to return kicks for some reason. Marco Iannuzzi is one of the very few that come to mind in the past 3 or 4 years. Anybody else come to mind for anybody else? 

 

And I mean return more than 15 kicks to be really considered. 

You are right on this.  I can't think of many in the past 3-4 years.

 

Prior to that, the one that comes to mind is Marcus Howell, but he retired in 2010.  His career:

 

"returned 75 kickoffs for 1,642 yards and one score and brought 241 punts back for 2,200 yards, including a 96-yard touchdown return in 2007 with Calgary."

 

--cfl.ca

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