Just posted my first entry in something I want to take right up until draft day, my blog on the 2014 Draft. It's a (very) early mock draft of the first round.

 

http://www.morningbigblue.com/community/blog/7/entry-23-an-early-look-at-the-first-round/

 

Thoughts, comments, anything else is welcomed.

Hmmmm. it sounds like there's going to be more drama around this draft for the WBB than it has for years.

Hmmmm. it sounds like there's going to be more drama around this draft for the WBB than it has for years.

Most of the pre-draft drama never actually happens.

first round of the draft on tsn tomorrow at 6pm.

Not sure why they couldn't cover the entire draft, it's not like it would take that long.

Remaining rounds are on TSN.ca.

yeah like always, i just don't understand why they couldn't cover it all on tv, maximum of what 3 hours?

Because they have a Hawks/Wild game on TSN and a NBA playoff game on TSN2.

Seems silly and quite pointless to say given what the thread just talked about, but based on what I have heard sums it all up. Goossen will be the pick if they can't trade out.

 

1. Lavertu

2. Trade

3. Goossen

 

Trade would be great for the Bombers... I would try and swing 2 & 20 for 5, 12, 14. Not sure the Lions would go, but worth a shot.

Seems silly and quite pointless to say given what the thread just talked about, but based on what I have heard sums it all up. Goossen will be the pick if they can't trade out.

1. Lavertu

2. Trade

3. Goossen

Trade would be great for the Bombers... I would try and swing 2 & 20 for 5, 12, 14. Not sure the Lions would go, but worth a shot.

Why would the Bombers trade out if they need OL help? Makes no sense.

Seems silly and quite pointless to say given what the thread just talked about, but based on what I have heard sums it all up. Goossen will be the pick if they can't trade out.

1. Lavertu

2. Trade

3. Goossen

Trade would be great for the Bombers... I would try and swing 2 & 20 for 5, 12, 14. Not sure the Lions would go, but worth a shot.

Why would the Bombers trade out if they need OL help? Makes no sense.

Makes plenty of sense if you're looking to maximize value.

Goossen at 2 is not good value.

Seems silly and quite pointless to say given what the thread just talked about, but based on what I have heard sums it all up. Goossen will be the pick if they can't trade out.

1. Lavertu

2. Trade

3. Goossen

Trade would be great for the Bombers... I would try and swing 2 & 20 for 5, 12, 14. Not sure the Lions would go, but worth a shot.

Why would the Bombers trade out if they need OL help? Makes no sense.

Makes plenty of sense if you're looking to maximize value.

Goossen at 2 is not good value.

In a shallow draft trading out is not a good move.

Seems silly and quite pointless to say given what the thread just talked about, but based on what I have heard sums it all up. Goossen will be the pick if they can't trade out.

1. Lavertu

2. Trade

3. Goossen

Trade would be great for the Bombers... I would try and swing 2 & 20 for 5, 12, 14. Not sure the Lions would go, but worth a shot.

Why would the Bombers trade out if they need OL help? Makes no sense.

Makes plenty of sense if you're looking to maximize value.

Goossen at 2 is not good value.

In a shallow draft trading out is not a good move.

You're misinterpreting the meaning of shallow. The top 15 stacks up against most draft classes. It falls off somewhere shortly after that if you ask most scouts. Tyler will probably be able to put a more exact analysis together though.

Seems silly and quite pointless to say given what the thread just talked about, but based on what I have heard sums it all up. Goossen will be the pick if they can't trade out.

 

1. Lavertu

2. Trade

3. Goossen

 

Trade would be great for the Bombers... I would try and swing 2 & 20 for 5, 12, 14. Not sure the Lions would go, but worth a shot.

 

2 and 20 for 5 and 12 would be close value IMO.  5 and 12 would allow the Bombers to add a depth player on D and potentially one of the local guys.  Hard to know if a team like BC would want to move up though, who would they be targeting a 2 that they won't be able to get at 5?  Foucault?  I think if I'm Buono I prefer 5 and 12.

Seems silly and quite pointless to say given what the thread just talked about, but based on what I have heard sums it all up. Goossen will be the pick if they can't trade out.

1. Lavertu

2. Trade

3. Goossen

Trade would be great for the Bombers... I would try and swing 2 & 20 for 5, 12, 14. Not sure the Lions would go, but worth a shot.

Why would the Bombers trade out if they need OL help? Makes no sense.

Makes plenty of sense if you're looking to maximize value.

Goossen at 2 is not good value.

In a shallow draft trading out is not a good move.

You're misinterpreting the meaning of shallow. The top 15 stacks up against most draft classes. It falls off somewhere shortly after that if you ask most scouts. Tyler will probably be able to put a more exact analysis together though.

My understanding is that the drop off starts after the first round.

 

 

 

 

 

Seems silly and quite pointless to say given what the thread just talked about, but based on what I have heard sums it all up. Goossen will be the pick if they can't trade out.

1. Lavertu

2. Trade

3. Goossen

Trade would be great for the Bombers... I would try and swing 2 & 20 for 5, 12, 14. Not sure the Lions would go, but worth a shot.

Why would the Bombers trade out if they need OL help? Makes no sense.

Makes plenty of sense if you're looking to maximize value.

Goossen at 2 is not good value.

In a shallow draft trading out is not a good move.

You're misinterpreting the meaning of shallow. The top 15 stacks up against most draft classes. It falls off somewhere shortly after that if you ask most scouts. Tyler will probably be able to put a more exact analysis together though.

My understanding is that the drop off starts after the first round.

 

 

Any draft is going to drop off after the first round. Nobody can compare to a top prospect, it is just not possible. But that doesn't mean it gets shallow immediately thereafter.

 

My list I like up until about 25, which is late third round. Obviously it isn't the same talent level all around, I would break it down as picks 1-7, 8-15, 16-21 and 22-25 as my tiers.

 

1-7 should start and get significant playing time.

8-15 should be full time on special teams and can play rotational time.

16-21 should be full time special teams

22-25 dress in 6-12 games "atleast" - and dress means either reserve (OL) or special teams

 

After that it gets a bit fuzzy, but I think you can find value in the right guys.

 

As far as the trade, if we are talking two Top 20 picks for three Top 15 picks, I don't know how you can't take that trade. Infact, it sounds so ridiculous just typing it up that I almost think it would have to be two for two (2/20 for 5/12 or 14).

 

So you are looking at - I'm just going to go off of my rankings projection for picking the players - and this is the three rounds.

 

3 for 2 trade

A: Goossen, Jones, Mark (Dhillon, Pszczonak)

B: Pruneau, Bastien (Briggs would be great), Chin (Menard if you get Briggs), Paterson

 

I won't do it for the 2 for 2 trade, because you can basically form your own take off of the above picks.

 

Bombers need to improve their Canadian depth, and I think the more picks the better. I myself am just not sold on Goossen, which is why I consider the trade an option.

 

Finally, this will contradict what I have said all along, but if you have to pick Goossen, you have to do it. That would be - no trade partner, and you aren't safe picking someone else.

 

For the record, I'm going to re-state my stance on Goossen because I feel like my posts towards him throughout the process could be construed as dislike. It's not that I don't like him, it's that I think he will take more time to develop than a second overall pick should, and I think if you can get someone who can come in and contribute right away, you are better off using that developmental OL with a later pick - that being Paterson, Dhillon, Player, etc.

 

 

For the record, I'm going to re-state my stance on Goossen because I feel like my posts towards him throughout the process could be construed as dislike. It's not that I don't like him, it's that I think he will take more time to develop than a second overall pick should, and I think if you can get someone who can come in and contribute right away, you are better off using that developmental OL with a later pick - that being Paterson, Dhillon, Player, etc.

 

 

I tend to agree with this.  I hate the idea of heading towards a pick with the mindset of "our biggest hole is centre, let's take the best centre available when we pick."  Hamilton might be able to do that, but we don't have the foundation.  That's just not how you build a successful CFL team, better to have more NI players who can play and figure it out from there than pick a guy for positional need over actual talent or ability to play as a pro.

For reference, in 2012 Edmonton traded the 2nd and 20th overall picks to BC for the 4th, 14th, and 38th overall picks.

 

If we packaged #2 and #20 to BC, the return would likely be #5, #12, and #41.

For reference, in 2012 Edmonton traded the 2nd and 20th overall picks to BC for the 4th, 14th, and 38th overall picks.

 

If we packaged #2 and #20 to BC, the return would likely be #5, #12, and #41.

 

I would shoot for 27 instead of 41. I'm not all convinced that the man who made that trade for the Esks did the best he could.

 

Acquired that #2 pick in the Ricky Ray trade and then took Pasztor at 4 on the trade down. An all-time blunder.

This guy is a sports radio host in Vancouver... some interesting tweets here:

 

Matthew Sekeres ‏@mattsekeres  1h
Hearing lots of interest to move up to #1-2 in #CFLDraft tomorrow. Teams covet Laval C Pierre Lavertu & C/G Matthias Goossen from SFU.

Matthew Sekeres ‏@mattsekeres  59m
Lavertu is considered a plug-and-play C in year one, while Goossen's potential to play several OL spots is driving interest.

 

Matthew Sekeres ‏@mattsekeres  56m
That said, @OTT_RedBlacks may go with Montreal OT David Foucault #1 overall. May have #NFL future w/ Carolina, but huge potential as a RT.

 

Matthew Sekeres ‏@mattsekeres  48m
#CFLDraft wild card is OL Tchissakidi Player from Northwestern St. Non-import played Class 5-A Texas HS football w/ a premier program.

 

Matthew Sekeres ‏@mattsekeres  43m
EDM in catbird's seat b/c many teams believe draft falls off after 2 players (Lavertu, Goossen) if OT Foucault sticks w/ CAR @JasonGregor

 

Matthew Sekeres ‏@mattsekeres  39m
Others believe Foucault won't stick w/ NFL's Panthers, & that OL T. Player, DB Lue, RB Coombs, WR Bailey = 6-7 deep draft @JasonGregor

Interesting all the ink Player is getting now. Desperation for OL setting in as we get to draft day?

That would be a dream if Ottawa takes Foucault and Bombers get Lavertu.

I've been wrong before, but my money says Walters still takes Goossen at 2, if Ottawa takes Lavertu.

Interesting all the ink Player is getting now. Desperation for OL setting in as we get to draft day?

 

Seems like right after Duane Ford mentioned him, everybody fell in love with him

 

Seems silly and quite pointless to say given what the thread just talked about, but based on what I have heard sums it all up. Goossen will be the pick if they can't trade out.

 

1. Lavertu

2. Trade

3. Goossen

 

Trade would be great for the Bombers... I would try and swing 2 & 20 for 5, 12, 14. Not sure the Lions would go, but worth a shot.

 

2 and 20 for 5 and 12 would be close value IMO.  5 and 12 would allow the Bombers to add a depth player on D and potentially one of the local guys.  Hard to know if a team like BC would want to move up though, who would they be targeting a 2 that they won't be able to get at 5?  Foucault?  I think if I'm Buono I prefer 5 and 12.

 

 

You could just feel that way because that's what we would prefer. Buono has much stronger Canadians than us so he could be specifically wanting a real good Center, where we need more Canadians right now.

 

I'd love to get 5 and 12... There will still be a really good player or two at 5(Gill or Smith), and we could still get a good depth guy at 12 like Briggs or  Bastien.

 

 

Seems silly and quite pointless to say given what the thread just talked about, but based on what I have heard sums it all up. Goossen will be the pick if they can't trade out.

 

1. Lavertu

2. Trade

3. Goossen

 

Trade would be great for the Bombers... I would try and swing 2 & 20 for 5, 12, 14. Not sure the Lions would go, but worth a shot.

 

If we could pull that trade off we'd really make out like bandits. I guess it depends how desperate BC would have to be for Goosen/Lavertu/Focault

 

Id throw in 26 too if that's what it took to get that deal done.

 

Realistically its only 5+12. If that's the case I'd only be willing to go 2 and 29

I'd rather have a sure fire starter than 2-3 backups/ST players. I'm not convinced either that Gill is a sure fire CFL starter.

I'd rather have a sure fire starter than 2-3 backups/ST players. I'm not convinced either that Gill is a sure fire CFL starter.

 

I agree with you, but the catch is that I don't think people are sure of whether or not Goossen is a sure fire starter.

 

I don't know if this is a fair comparison, but Goossen basically comes across as Pencer in terms of projecting a developmental curve.

I've been wondering about Tchassakid Player for a while now.... last week some time I posted a question whether anyone knew anything about him and his intentions, but I can't remember which thread that was in and which site  ....

 

Anyway, I'll pose it again.... from what I've read and seen in interviews I was wondering if he has strong roots in Texas and is even considering a CFL career? I guess his attendance at the combine suggests he is, at least, interested  

I wouldn't mind if the Bombers pick Goosen #2 overall but I wouldn't be surprised if they trade down to gain more picks.

 

Potential trade I can see are with BC... their # 5, 12, 14 for our # 2, 20 (and 26)

 

or with SSK... involving Corey Watman