CFL Draft 2015, Nic Demski, Pick #6 in Round 1

[WestCoastJoe]

Possible draft order, as of January 2, 2015, subject to change

1 Ottawa
2 Winnipeg
3 Toronto
4 BC
5 Montreal
6 Saskatchewan
7 Edmonton
8 Hamilton
9 Calgary

[WestCoastJoe]

CFL Scouting Bureau rankings for September and December, 2014

[WestCoastJoe]

Mock draft #1, courtesy of Riderfans

[WestCoastJoe]

Some profiles ...



http://cfl.ca/article/dunk-top-10-prosp ... 2015-draft

Some prospects ...

Justin Dunk
CFL.ca

Around and around the draft cycle goes. Just as the 2014 Draft Class has started introducing themselves to the CFL world with their on-field efforts, in comes another group of athletes, who will shortly be placed firmly under the microscope of scouts and fans alike.

CFL personnel men were in London, Ontario from May 5-10 for the 12th annual Canadian Interuniversity Sport East West Bowl. It’s an event that brings the top football talent from coast to coast together to one location, allowing professional scouts to get their first look at some of the best prospects eligible for the 2015 CFL Draft.

Heavy on scouts input, yours truly presents the Top 10 list of CIS players to watch as the 2014 university football season unfolds, as always with an eye towards the 2015 CFL Draft.

Top 10

1) Daryl Waud, DL, Western, 6’4”, 291 pounds

Scouts take: “He was unblockable at the East West Bowl. He’s big and physical, a purrfect interior defensive lineman in the CFL.”

“Big body, plugs up the holes and gets after the quarterback. Overpowers guards and centres. He does a good job of being a disruptive force on the defensive line.”

“He could be really good in the CFL. He’s just so big and athletic. You could see him potentially getting an NFL look down the road.”

“He needs to get a little bit better against the run. No one could block him in the 1-on-1s at East West.”

“He’s made a bunch of plays as a tight end for Western. He’s just a phenomenal athlete. He probably could be an all-star guard if he wanted to be.”

“I’m kind of surprised - I heard there was interest - he didn’t get an NCAA Division I scholarship.”

“He is a high-level box lacrosse player. This is his first off-season I’ve heard that he’s not playing lacrosse. It’s hindered his weight training and football development, but it’s helped him in some areas. You see how lacrosse has helped him in just how well and smooth he moves. You just don’t see guys as big as him that are as athletic as he is.”

2) Nick Demski, REC, Manitoba, 5’11”, 208 pounds

Scouts take: “He’s just smooth. He’s one of those players that doesn’t look like he’s moving that fast then runs right by you.”

“He has a great attitude, great football ability and great breakaway speed. He’s one of those kids that you give him the ball and he can create yards. The best thing about him is his attitude towards football.”

“He just needs to continue to get a little faster. He’s close to being fast enough, but he could get even faster. He needs to improve his route running. He has good hands.”

“He’s a pretty special player and does a little bit of everything. He’s kind of like an Andre Durie. He was a running back before and is much further along as a receiver than Anthony Coombs at the same point in their development. He’s very good after the catch. He has a lot of natural ball skills, playmaking ability and feel for the game. He’s just an all around athlete.”

“Most pro ready receiver we’ve seen at the East West Bowl in a while. Smooth, athletic, makes plays. Look for big things from him in the 2014 CIS season.”

“Scouts are salivating over him.”

3) Danny Groulx, OL, Laval, 6’6”, 335 pounds

Scouts take: “He’s really good, big and physical. I like him a lot. He plays tackle at Laval, he played some guard at East West. He plays with a real mean streak and he’s a big mauler.”

“He comes from a long line of offensive linemen from Laval.”

“Potential tackle in the CFL. Big athletic offensive linemen like him do not come around that often.”

4) Brandon Tennant, DL, Laval, 6’2”, 309 pounds

Scouts take: “He’s a big athletic kid - disruptive type. He’s very quick. He’s going to be a pretty good interior defensive lineman in the CFL.”

“He makes a lot of plays. He’s very quick. He needs to improve on his strength and athleticism.”

“Dominant inside during the week of practice at the East West Bowl. High energy player.”

5) Sukh Chungh, OL, Calgary, 6’2”, 288 pounds

Scouts take: “Big, tough kid - just like a big bear. He’s very physical and strong.”

“He’s got the purrfect guard body. Chungh’s been very well coached by Steve Buratto out there at the University of Calgary.”

“You would like to see him improve his athleticism. He’s a brawler, mauler type lineman. It’s not always pretty but he gets the job done. He plays with an edge to him.”

“He wants to be a physical force and hit people.”

6) Addison Richards, REC, Regina, 6’4”, 202 pounds

Scouts take: “He’s just a physical specimen: big, tall and fast.”

“You cannot teach size, but you can teach everything else. He catches the ball away from his frame. He ran 4.65 seconds in the 40 – fast for his size.”

“He opened a lot of eyes at the East West Bowl.”

“He needs to get bigger, tougher and stronger. He can very easily become the next Jason Clermont, just the way he plays. He’s a faster version of Clermont. I don’t think he’s as physical as Clermont was, I think he could be a little more physical for his size.”

“Raw player with great physical attributes. He needs to work with a receiver coach and really fine tune his route running and awareness on the field.”

7) Sean McEwen, OL, Calgary, 6’2”, 297 pounds

Scouts take: “Technically sound and has been well coached.”

“He’s going to be an inside player. He has the ability to play guard or centre - just a road grader.”

“He tested and was a lot more athletic than I thought he was going to be. I think he’s more of a centre prospect.”

8) Karl Lavoie, OL, Laval, 6’3”, 283 pounds

Scouts take: “He needs to get a little more muscular and stronger. He’s got great feet. I think Lavoie has a lot of upside.”

“Great body type for an interior player. He has good feet, is strong and moves people.”

“He played centre all week at the East West Bowl and I think that position fits him the best for the pro game. He has some similarities to Greg Wojt. He just has to get a little bit bigger and continue to get stronger.”

9) Chris Ackie, DB/LB, Laurier, 6’0”, 215 pounds

Scouts take: “I think he’s a linebacker in the CFL, but he’s a good football player. He’s got a future as a prototypical weakside linebacker in the CFL.”

“He’s a beast - physically looked impressive. He would be the best CIS linebacker prospect right now even though he is listed as a DB. Phenomenal athlete who put up strong testing numbers at the East West Bowl.”

“He’s playing out of position at Laurier, but he’s big, physical, athletic and a strong kid. In the CFL he’s going to be a weakside linebacker.”

10) David Beard, OL, Alberta, 6’5”, 273 pounds

Scouts take: “Surprisingly athletic, he moves his feet very well, but he needs to put on more muscle mass. He did himself a favour with his East West performance.”

“To me he was the offensive lineman that jumped out the most at the East West Bowl. He’s got very good length an is a good athlete.”

“He’s a newly converted offensive lineman from being on the defensive line. He needs to get some more weight on his frame, continue to get stronger, but I would imagine a lot of teams were excited about him.”

“He’s still a little bit of a developmental kid, but there is a high upside with him. If he has a solid year he will rise up the rankings.”

Just on the outside

Jonathan Langa, LB, Saint Mary’s, 5’9”, 214 pounds

Tevaughn Campbell, DB, Regina, 5’11”, 183 pounds

Jake Harty, REC, Calgary, 6’1”, 207 pounds

[WestCoastJoe]

1) Daryl Waud, DL, Western, 6’4”, 291 pounds

Scouts take: “He was unblockable at the East West Bowl. He’s big and physical, a purrfect interior defensive lineman in the CFL.”

“Big body, plugs up the holes and gets after the quarterback. Overpowers guards and centres. He does a good job of being a disruptive force on the defensive line.”

“He could be really good in the CFL. He’s just so big and athletic. You could see him potentially getting an NFL look down the road.”

“He needs to get a little bit better against the run. No one could block him in the 1-on-1s at East West.”

“He’s made a bunch of plays as a tight end for Western. He’s just a phenomenal athlete. He probably could be an all-star guard if he wanted to be.”

“I’m kind of surprised - I heard there was interest - he didn’t get an NCAA Division I scholarship.”

“He is a high-level box lacrosse player. This is his first off-season I’ve heard that he’s not playing lacrosse. It’s hindered his weight training and football development, but it’s helped him in some areas. You see how lacrosse has helped him in just how well and smooth he moves. You just don’t see guys as big as him that are as athletic as he is.”

DL help ... Oh yeah. Based on what we know so far, I would be very happy to get this player in the draft.

[WestCoastJoe]

4) Brandon Tennant, DL, Laval, 6’2”, 309 pounds

Scouts take: “He’s a big athletic kid - disruptive type. He’s very quick. He’s going to be a pretty good interior defensive lineman in the CFL.”

“He makes a lot of plays. He’s very quick. He needs to improve on his strength and athleticism.”

“Dominant inside during the week of practice at the East West Bowl. High energy player.”

[WestCoastJoe]

This guy is intriguing. Tyler Varga. RB. 5'11", 220.

He makes guys miss. He runs through a lot of would-be tackles. He finds daylight. Strong, fast and elusive.

Might be some NFL interest.

With top level National Andrew Harris, we could use a top level National backup. Follow the Calgary approach.

Harris and Varga? Wow. LOL ...

http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2014/11/2 ... ning-back/

FOOTBALL: Tyler Varga, one-of-a-kind running back

KenYanagisawa_footballPenn-151

By James Badas
Staff Reporter

Friday, November 21, 2014

When one imagines a running back with a bodybuilder’s physique storming down the gridiron with the balance and agility of a downhill skier, one can get a sense of the nightmare Ivy League defenses have dealt with in preparing for running back Tyler Varga ’15 the past three seasons.

The Ecology & Evolutionary Biology major certainly has genetics on his side. Varga’s parents, John and Hannele, are athletic specimens in their own right. His mother is a skillful alpine skier; his father, meanwhile, was once Mr. Eastern Canada thanks to his bodybuilding efforts.

Varga’s stats speak for themselves. Thus far in his senior campaign for Yale, the tailback who grew up in Kitchener, Ontario, after being born in Sweden, has racked up 1,296 yards on the ground and 23 total touchdowns in nine games.

Those 23 touchdowns match the total from running back Mike McLeod’s ’09 spectacular 2007 season. With three touchdowns on the ground against Harvard, Varga would equal McLeod’s all-time Yale record for most rushing touchdowns in a season.

“Records are made to be broken,” McLeod said. “I broke a lot, but I left a lot in place. [Varga’s] really had a tremendous year.”

In a Yale career abbreviated by his transfer from the University of Western Ontario following his freshman year and an injury-riddled season a year ago, Varga has nonetheless produced whenever he has suited up.

A typical Yale football player has the opportunity to play 40 games over the course of his career. Varga has only played in 23, yet his 2,858 rushing yards — good for a spectacular 124.3 per game — are fifth-best in Yale’s storied history. 157 rushing yards on Saturday would catapult Varga to third, passing Yale legends Dick Jauron ’73 and Rashad Bartholomew ’01.

The man who helped guide the careers of McLeod and Bartholomew, two pillars of the pantheon of great backs Yale has produced, is Yale running backs coach Larry Ciotti.

“[Varga] is a great pass catcher, tremendous blocker, and his running style is best described as a skilled runner that hits defenders like the deployment of a nuclear warhead,” Ciotti said. “Any [National Football League] team would like to have a running back with those attributes.”

Varga’s eye-popping numbers, along with his unique brand of athleticism, has turned him into a top professional prospect. He is ranked the No. 2 prospect for next year’s Canadian Football League draft, an avenue he might pursue should an opportunity in the NFL not present itself.

But the prospect of playing on Saturdays, let alone Sundays, all appeared to be in jeopardy not that long ago.

The most devastating of athletic injuries often cause the victims to lose the ability to ever play that sport again. In Varga’s case, he nearly lost a foot.

In his final high school game, with colleges across Canada, as well as a few in America paying close attention, Varga tore his peroneal tendon, a muscle connecting the calf to the foot. Doctors soon began to worry his foot might be in jeopardy, as compartment syndrome dangerously restricted the blood flow in his lower leg.

Undeterred, Varga plowed through the injury. At Western Ontario, Varga earned Rookie of the Year honors. When he reached out to Yale head coach Tony Reno in the offseason, the Bulldogs’ newly hired leader was waiting with open arms.

Since coming to the Bulldogs, he has consistently won over his teammates, even if they were at first caught off guard by the sheer size of their tailback.

“The first day of fall camp my freshman year, he came in and was one of the largest running backs I’d ever seen in my life,” offensive guard Mason Friedline ’17 said. “He looked like he could wrestle a bear or something — he was jacked out of his mind. But he was the friendliest guy in the world and immediately introduced himself to the freshmen.”

Varga’s transfer started out seamlessly, and the Elis had appeared to struck Canadian gold. In 2012, Varga led the nation in all-purpose yardage per game, doing it all for the Bulldogs as a rusher, a kick returner and, when injury knocked out all four of Yale’s quarterbacks for that year’s Columbia game, a quarterback as well. Remarkably, Varga set a record that day as well, compiling the most yards on the ground for a quarterback in Yale history with 220 yards on 25 carries.

The senior finished the season with 935 rushing yards in eight games, never dipping below 91 yards in any contest that season.

Last year’s campaign saw Varga limited by injuries, missing four games entirely and carrying the ball just five times in the season finale against Harvard.

“Obviously being healthy for the full season is the number one goal,” Varga said regarding his preparation for this season. “Either you’re out or your performance is limited, so you want to be as close to 100 percent as possible … that’s the main focus every week.”

It comes as no surprise, then, that Reno echoed Ciotti, albeit with fewer words, when asked if he expects to see Varga continuing his career in the NFL next year.

“Yes,” Reno said.

http://www.therecord.com/sports-story/2 ... -gridiron/

The powerful speedster has seriously bulked up since dedicating himself to gym over the past eight months. He’s a solid-as-a-rock 218 pounds on a five-foot-10 frame and he’s faster than ever — recently clocking a time of 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash. -- September, 2011

[TheLionKing]

Hope we don't draft another receiver or running back.

[KnowItAll]

Hope we don't draft another receiver or running back.

how about a coach

[David]

I would like us to draft Sean McEwen at #4, who's really risen in the rankings and is a natural centre who can play guard as well (interestingly, I read the Riders just released C Dominic Picard).

We really do need to make drafting a safety a priority in the early rounds.


DH

[MexicoLionFan]

I honestly don't care who we take as long as it is an impact player...and by the looks of it, there are about 10 of them, so we might be able to draft two impact CDNs...

[South Pender]

I would like us to draft Sean McEwen at #4, who's really risen in the rankings and is a natural centre who can play guard as well (interestingly, I read the Riders just released C Dominic Picard).

That's interesting about Picard. Did he have an off-season this year? He's 32, so has some football left in him, and he's a National. Would it make sense for the Lions to try to pick him up and move Matt Norman to guard, where I suspect he'd be better than he's been at centre?

[pennw]

Hope we don't draft another receiver or running back.

It sure would be nice to see BC get one of the top linemen for a change , which should be doable since we got the #4 pick .

[B.C.FAN]

The draft is a crapshoot.

The Lions have done well lately at drafting offensive and defensive linemen, even in later rounds, picking up Matt Norman, Kirby Fabien, Hunter Steward, T-Dre Player and seventh-rounder Cam Thorn, all of whom seem to have good futures. On defence, Jabar Westerman has proved his worth as a first-rounder and David Menard was a gem in the fourth round last year.

The Lions have not done so well at other positions. At receiver, Shawn Gore (second round 2010) has been a starter but has never lived up to expectations. Marco Iannuzzi and S.J. Haidara have been part-time players, and Haidara's hands are suspect at best. The last linebacker who became a regular starter was Javy Glatt (second round 2003). Many other draft picks have come and gone since then. The players drafted in the secondary have been a string of busts, Matt McGarva's bad knees included. At running back, the jury is still out on Paschal Lochard.

I'd like to see the Lions pick up a gem or two at a skill position. Who that will be, I have no clue.

[WestCoastJoe]

The draft is a crapshoot.

The Lions have done well lately at drafting offensive and defensive linemen, even in later rounds, picking up Matt Norman, Kirby Fabien, Hunter Steward, T-Dre Player and seventh-rounder Cam Thorn, all of whom seem to have good futures. On defence, Jabar Westerman has proved his worth as a first-rounder and David Menard was a gem in the fourth round last year.

The Lions have not done so well at other positions. At receiver, Shawn Gore (second round 2010) has been a starter but has never lived up to expectations. Marco Iannuzzi and S.J. Haidara have been part-time players, and Haidara's hands are suspect at best. The last linebacker who became a regular starter was Javy Glatt (second round 2003). Many other draft picks have come and gone since then. The players drafted in the secondary have been a string of busts, Matt McGarva's bad knees included. At running back, the jury is still out on Paschal Lochard.

I'd like to see the Lions pick up a gem or two at a skill position. Who that will be, I have no clue.

Points well made, BCF.

The draft seems to have good talent. Lots of OL at the top. One RB, Varga. A couple of receivers.

Be nice to score a couple of blue chip prospects, build some depth.

From being considered by some in the media as the flagship of the league, maybe from 2004 to 2007, we are now middle of the pack, at best, it seems to me. Lots of work to be done. Things are looking up a bit, though, having hired a very highly qualified Head Coach.