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

[TheLionKing]

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?

I too would like to see Norman moved back to guard

[SammyGreene]

Good to see a number of excellent offensive lineman prospects at the top and even better to know Dorazio will no longer be around to screw them up. Would like to see the Lions at least get back to starting 4 nationals on the 0-line which hasn't happened since the days of Cory Mantyka.

[DanoT]

Good to see a number of excellent offensive lineman prospects at the top and even better to know Dorazio will no longer be around to screw them up. Would like to see the Lions at least get back to starting 4 nationals on the 0-line which hasn't happened since the days of Cory Mantyka.

There are two problems with starting 4 Nats on the Oline.

1. The more starting Nats the greater the need for more quality Nat backups.

2. Hardrick (INT) showed very well at LG with a lot of aggressive, powerful play so he will be difficult to beat out by a Nat.

[Blitz]

Good to see a number of excellent offensive lineman prospects at the top and even better to know Dorazio will no longer be around to screw them up. Would like to see the Lions at least get back to starting 4 nationals on the 0-line which hasn't happened since the days of Cory Mantyka.

There are two problems with starting 4 Nats on the Oline.

1. The more starting Nats the greater the need for more quality Nat backups.

2. Hardrick (INT) showed very well at LG with a lot of aggressive, powerful play so he will be difficult to beat out by a Nat.

Agree with your thought about the need for quality NI backups if you start more Nationals on the offensive line but you can also insert an import due to injury and use a National somewhere else in the lineup (eg: reciever, wide side corner) if that situation occurs.

I would not use an International at the guard position unless absolutely necessary...though I do agree that Hardwich was a very aggressive offensive lineman.

[South Pender]

I would not use an International at the guard position unless absolutely necessary...though I do agree that Hardwich was a very aggressive offensive lineman.

How about Steward at guard on the left side, with Hardrick at LT (actually that's how they're list on the roster)? Then Fabien and Olafioye on the right side. We'd have Player and Thorn as backups at G, maintaining the ratio.

[David]

The problem here SP is that Ramsey is a natural LT and Hardrick is a natural guard, which he played at Nebraska. I am not convinced that Hardrick would be a better tackle than Ramsey, or Steward for that matter (even though he's a very aggressive guard). Nor am I certain at this point that Fabien would be a better choice at RG than Valli (whom you left out, even as a back-up).

I believe Cam Thorn will be brought back to camp as a centre (not guard) to challenge Matt Norman.



DH

[B.C.FAN]

I love Hardrick but I don't see a spot for him. Guard has to be a national position. The Lions got into too many ratio problems last year when they started three internationals on the O-line. Even starting Hardrick at guard with Steward at tackle is a bit more palatable but the Lions should be able to play three nationals in the middle of the line Everyone else does.

[SammyGreene]

Might take 2-3 post-Dorazio years to build the talent and depth to start at least 4 nationals on o-line but there is absolutely no reason why the Lions can't do it if others can drafting from the same pool of players. Of course, you are going to find impressive internationals like Hardwick if you want to bring them to camp to compete for what are considered traditional national postions. Larose would be long gone if that was the case.

Maybe it will take Wally stepping down as well if he is entrenched on the idea of playing internationals at both tackle positions. The all-national offensive line in Montreal seems to be Jim Popp's blueprint as it has remained the same with different head and assistant coaches over the years.

[TheLionKing]

I have been impressed with the play of Hardrick. He appeared to be a better guard than as a tackle.

[OV - 54:40]

Seems like a very talented & deep CFL draft year upcoming.

CFL rankings might be due for some serious updates. Haven`t been checking in here much but surprised to not find mention of SFU receiver Lamar Durant declaring early for the NFL draft (as did Rice DT Christian Covington (son of CFL great Grover) - these 2 guys should be top 3 material perhaps for the CFL draft nowÉ

Problem with a bunch of the top CFL draft prospects upcoming is they may all draw serious NFL draft interest - Durant & Covington along with Boyko and Varga (invited to the Senior Bowl i think i read) - are all in this boat perhaps -which could or should scare off CFL teams from using top draft picks on them.

Durant sure would be an interesting Lions pick - local guy and maybe the best pure NI receiver talent in some time - Clermont plus size but with speed and had an outstanding college ball season with SFU - but even though he is from Div II ball i bet this guy gets an NFL look and makes it there.


Big year for DTs this draft - Covington, Waud (Western), Tennant (Laval), LeBlanc (Mt. Allison), Abdesmad (Boston College) = all big size pro DT prospects.

Some good O-linemen (McEwen & Mateas at C) and receivers (Demski & Richards along with Durant) this draft and a couple of decent safety prospects too - Lions could maybe address a few areas of real need. - and later round impact players could be had (Menard was an absolute steal last draft IMO)

[B.C.FAN]

Covington's season ended early with knee surgery, his second injury of the year. That's hardly going to help his draft stock in the NFL or CFL. I was hoping he would come back for his senior season at Rice and show that he was recovered from the injury.

[WestCoastJoe]

Seems like a very talented & deep CFL draft year upcoming.

CFL rankings might be due for some serious updates. Haven`t been checking in here much but surprised to not find mention of SFU receiver Lamar Durant declaring early for the NFL draft (as did Rice DT Christian Covington (son of CFL great Grover) - these 2 guys should be top 3 material perhaps for the CFL draft nowÉ

Problem with a bunch of the top CFL draft prospects upcoming is they may all draw serious NFL draft interest - Durant & Covington along with Boyko and Varga (invited to the Senior Bowl i think i read) - are all in this boat perhaps -which could or should scare off CFL teams from using top draft picks on them.

Durant sure would be an interesting Lions pick - local guy and maybe the best pure NI receiver talent in some time - Clermont plus size but with speed and had an outstanding college ball season with SFU - but even though he is from Div II ball i bet this guy gets an NFL look and makes it there.


Big year for DTs this draft - Covington, Waud (Western), Tennant (Laval), LeBlanc (Mt. Allison), Abdesmad (Boston College) = all big size pro DT prospects.

Some good O-linemen (McEwen & Mateas at C) and receivers (Demski & Richards along with Durant) this draft and a couple of decent safety prospects too - Lions could maybe address a few areas of real need. - and later round impact players could be had (Menard was an absolute steal last draft IMO)

Thanks for the input, OV. Always interesting to get your take on the various National prospects.

Menard looked great at the Combine last year. Strong. Great motor. Was very happy we got him in the draft.

[WestCoastJoe]

As i mentioned in the draft thread - 2 very good C prospects this coming draft in Mateas ( U Conn) and McEwen (Calgary); Ottawa might be tempted to take local guy Mateas at first overall perhaps; but Wally could maybe get one of the 2 with his first round pick; that's if he identifies O-Line and specifically C as a big need; but maybe he is happy with Norman there and a good stable of young O-Linemen also including Fabien, Steward and Player.

Lions should IMO consider one of the very good receiver or DT prospects up this draft with their first round pick (one of the DTs in a deep crop this year could be had 2nd round perhaps?)

Should be targeting an area of need / potential starter with the 1st round pick. And again = the possibilty of landing receiver Lamar Durant is intriguing IMO; but pre CFL draft NFL interest could determine if that would make good sense. Big target (6-5) receiver Addison Richards (Regina) (playing in the US Shrine game upcoming) might be a very nice draft pick too

Yes, we have some needs.

Safety. Centre. RB depth. DL depth. Top level receiver is always on the agenda, IMO.

RB Varga might get some NFL interest. With the rising level of talent amongst Nationals, the NFL option is becoming more of a concern, it seems to me. Not all bad, though, as a rising level of talent and depth is all to the good for the CFL. The draft is riskier, of course, but the better teams always figure it out first.

With centre, IMO it might too early to give up on Norman and Thorn. But a true centre, a top level OL draft, would be of interest.

Does look like a deep draft.

[David]

Haven`t been checking in here much but surprised to not find mention of SFU receiver Lamar Durant declaring early for the NFL draft (as did Rice DT Christian Covington (son of CFL great Grover) - these 2 guys should be top 3 material perhaps for the CFL draft now....

I have actually followed Durant since he was a standout high school quarterback here on the Lower Mainland. He was an outstanding athlete, then got a scholarship to U of Nevada (Div 1) before transferring up the SFU after some knee injuries down there.

I think he would be an interesting pick for the Leos. Not sure what kind of NFL interest he's going to garner coming from Simon Fraser (or the better question is, can he overcome the stigma of being a CDN from a CDN school if he does get drafted - to unseat a higher ranked draft from a big program down south). Gore is our best non-import receiver (slotback) but he's been somewhat inconsistent, or at least has never really lived up to his vast potential. Poblah, Iannuzzi, Haidara - not sure about any of them at this point. It may have been hard to truly judge last season, given all the issues around the team (no Lulay, new OC, all the injuries and line-up changes). Then there's Tomasiuk and Adekolu waiting in the wings. I wouldn't say we're exactly desperate for National receiving picks. Could we use an upgrade? Sure. But not enough to use at #4 overall for Demski or Durant.


WCJ, I agree it's early to give up on Norman and Thorn. Norman won't be lying on the lab table anymore and that should help him. He puts too much pressure on himself. Valli was the same way, that's why he wanted no part of centre. Reid had the the smarts to play the position and the confidence to work with Dorazio's demands, even though he wasn't as gifted athletically IMO.


DH

[WestCoastJoe]

WCJ, I agree it's early to give up on Norman and Thorn. Norman won't be lying on the lab table anymore and that should help him. He puts too much pressure on himself. Valli was the same way, that's why he wanted no part of centre. Reid had the the smarts to play the position and the confidence to work with Dorazio's demands, even though he wasn't as gifted athletically IMO.

DH

No more workin' in the lab. By all accounts Dorazio is a great guy. Kind of difficult, though, it seems to me, to have an intuitive feeling for a position, if one has never played it. O Line play is kind of a weird thing. Not a position where pure athleticism like running the football, being a receiver, or even D Line, can take you a long way. And it is a position where coaches can go crazy with stuff. It seems to me Dorazio tried to channel Alex Gibbs, who was extreme in complexity, intricate details, and tough talk. Like, "I want snot from your nose, and gas from your ass." LOL

I was gratified this year when Angus Reid called for simplicity and physical play. It put the focus on our O Line struggles.

If Dorazio gets another gig, it will be interesting to see how he approaches it, and how the linemen respond.