Wally's Lion Drafting

[Rammer]

2006
1 2nd Jay Pottinger Linebacker
1 4th Ricky Foley Defensive line/Linbacker
1 6th Dean Valli Offensive Lineman
2 12th Jon Hameister-Ries Offensive Lineman
5 40th Mike Lindstrom Slotback
2005
1 8th Alexis Bwenge Running Back
2 17th Pierre Tremblay Offensive Lineman
3 25th David Lowry Linebacker
3 26th Patrick Pierre-Louis Linebacker
4 34th Sebastien Clovis Defensive back
5 43rd Nuvraj Bassi defensive tackle
6 5nd Karl Ortmanns offensive lineman
2004
1st 5th Oshiomogho Atogwe S Stanford
2nd 13th Nautyn McKay-Loesher DE Alabama
3rd 22nd Scott Plummer S SFU
5th 40th Troy Cunningham DE Concordia
6th 49th Billy Palmer TE Notre Dame
2003
1 6 Paris Jackson WR Utah
2 15 Javier Glatt LB British Columbia
3 24 Carl Gourges OL Laval
5 41 Nicholas Hoffmann RB McGill

[Tighthead]

Did billy Palmer ever come to a camp? I wouldn't mind having a someone who is a true blocking TE on the roster.

Those results seem pretty solid to me. The CFL draft is quite a crapshoot.

[Rammer]

Looks to me that Wally hasn't really brought in a ton of talent other than his first season in 2003, and 2006's draft is still a possibility. That is aprtly due to the Lions NI depth, as Lwory likely owuld mak most CFL rosters, we just got to deep in NI LB's with last years selections.

I wonder if the Lions have a specific position to draft for this year, as their receivers are deep as well as the LB position. Other than OL help, is there any other position that needs addressing.

[TheLionKing]

Defensive lineman and a place kicker. Paul McCallum is getting older and Pikula is still unproven

[Rammer]

Defensive lineman and a place kicker. Paul McCallum is getting older and Pikula is still unproven

I would be surprised if we can hold onto Pikula in all honesty. Generally a K/P doesn't mature to CFL standards until two or three seasons, and Pikula delivered when he was asked. Another CFL team would be wise to attempt to pry him from the Lions roster, wither by trade or if he is left exposed.

[Tighthead]

I think you draft the best player available.

[Bosco]

I think you draft the best player available.

Since the selected player will probably be a backup / special team filler in his first couple of years, draft the best athlete available and see if he can work his way into a starters spot.

[TheLionKing]

I think you draft the best player available.

Since the selected player will probably be a backup / special team filler in his first couple of years, draft the best athlete available and see if he can work his way into a starters spot.

If not, Wally could always flip him for future considerations.

[Rammer]

Not sure that is the wisest decision, as we ended up letting Lowry gofor zero and he will end up on a CFL team elsewhere, in fact Winnipeg has signed him. We drafted two players that competed with him at last years draft and that resulted in his release without a trade.

I also think that we would avoid a Receiver for similar reasons this time around, as I don't see another Boden falling into our laps and we are full to capcity at the NI R position. Unless the player is an exceptional no brainer, we are better to find position talent elsewhere, IMHO.

[Tighthead]

Winnipeg may have signed him, but that doesn't mean he will be employed this year.

It is no doubt a balancing act, and you don't want to get a glut at one position. The other thing is you don't want to reach for a guy just because he fills a perceived need.

In hockey, BPA works as they are all a few years from producing, and other than goalie, you will always have room for a guy.

[OV - 54:40]

Wally's done a pretty good job there IMO - in terms of number of players who have made the roster plus getting some impact players (Glatt is about the best MLB in the league now IMO; Paris Jackson has been solid and maybe about to become a top CFL receiver; McKay-Loescher has shown he can play); have to wait to see if any other guys from the list step-up to be impact players who see lots of the field. Atogwe was one of those gamble picks - a guy who had NFL written on him - can get burned with those picks (Rob Meier, Richard Mercier, Brett Romberg for example) but sometimes they can pan out down the road (Thelwell).

The Als with Popp have done a good job of drafting the last number of years too - lotsa guys who've made the roster plus some real impact players (Karikari, Stala).

I don't think it's an easy call as to wether to think drafting the best player or "athlete" or else addressing team needs; should be room for a bit of both thinking IMO. Drafting pure MLB types like Lowry and Pottinger in back to back years when you already had Glatt or some other MLB possibilities was a bit of a waste IMO - for example - coulda held on to Lowry as a respected prospect and taken Fantuz over Pottinger last year.
Fantuz was the all-time CIS leading receiver and talents like that don't come around too often plus CFL teams employ 6 or 7 receivers on the roster with often 5 or 6 of them seeing some playing time on offence; you could get a special-teams cover guy / back-up MLB probably with a later round pick rather than using the 2nd overall pick.

Different draft years will yield different type draft depth at the different positions - not sure how this year's shakes out yet but i think not really deep overall but maybe good at receiver and D-line?

[Shi Zi Mi]

The only NI spot where we seem to be "thin", for lack of a better term, is DB.

Barron Miles won't be around forever and grooming a NI safety should be the priority.

[OV - 54:40]

The only NI spot where we seem to be "thin", for lack of a better term, is DB.

Barron Miles won't be around forever and grooming a NI safety should be the priority.

What about Seb Clovis for that role?

[Shi Zi Mi]

The only NI spot where we seem to be "thin", for lack of a better term, is DB.

Barron Miles won't be around forever and grooming a NI safety should be the priority.

What about Seb Clovis for that role?

Not sure.........we haven't seen him in that capacity, so it's difficult to say.

As has been discussed before, when you start a NI at a position, you need a capable NI backup in case of injury.......we don't have ANYONE else after Clovis, nevermind capable !!

[kenny]

2003 draft outstanding Glatt and Jackson should be Lions for years. We don't have much to show for the 04/05 drafts. I think that there will also be some pressure on the 06 class to show some progress in the next year or two...espicially the 3 first round guys.
If we lose Thellwell and Fantuz starts putting up decent numbers for the riders the 06 draft may not look so good.