CFL Draft Thread for May 6, 2013 ... Picks & Comments

[WestCoastJoe]

Seydou Junior Haidara 6'1" 215

I like it.

Receiver.

[DanoT]

Nice first pick who can't be lost to Ottawa in December's Expansion draft.

At WR, Haidara for the Lions second pick. WTF? Lions greatest NI depth is at receiver so I don't understand this pick.

[Hambone]

Seydou Junior Haidara 6'1" 215

I like it.

Receiver.

Not quite where I expected to see them go at this point but with the direction BC seems to be going with NI receivers adding a player like Haidara is certainly not a bad move. Seems to be prototypical slotback material.

[WestCoastJoe]

I missed it on TV. What did the panel say about Steward?

Don't know. Some of us have to work for a living.

I'm relying on the CFL.ca Draft Tracker.

Ha ha

If we had signed Fabien before today, I expect we would not have made this pick in the first round.

Steward is not on the Final Rankings top 15.

Getting the top ranked receiver is pretty cool though.

[TheLionKing]

2nd round Lions picked Seydou Junior Haidara. wide receiver from Laval

[WestCoastJoe]

Not going the way I had hoped, or possibly even expected.

The Fabien situation played into it no doubt. If he had signed, our first pick would probably have been different.

Getting the top ranked receiver is a bonus IMO. The Air Force is key in the CFL. Our NI receiver corps is pretty neat.

D Line?

DB?

[Hambone]

Nice first pick who can't be lost to Ottawa in December's Expansion draft.

At WR, Haidara for the Lions second pick. WTF? Lions greatest NI depth is at receiver so I don't understand this pick.

Once you have someone like Gore as likely being your key NI slotback starter it becomes imperative to have depth. I think they look at Iannuzzi and Foster more as wideouts and of course Paris is probably down to his last year. A team can go from being deep to wafer thin in one game if the wrong injuries happen. I can see Haidara being drafted today with the thought of depth this year but probably to replace Jackson's role next year.

[TheLionKing]

So far 6 offensive linemen, 6 defensive linemen, 1 linebacker, 1 running back, 1 wide receiver, and 1 defensive back

[Hambone]

Getting the top ranked receiver is a bonus IMO. The Air Force is key in the CFL. Our NI receiver corps is pretty neat.

13. Seydou Junior Haidara (SB, Laval): big, physical receiver was the only pass catcher to improve his stock at the CFL Combine; once a high end recruit, he never had big numbers for the Rouge et Or but might be better suited to the pro level

6'1" 215# "big, physical receiver" - gonna go way out on a very thin limb here WCJ. Could the physical characteristics of Haidara have Benevides and Stubler thinking like mad scientists that this guy could convert to safety?

[The_Pauser]

Wow we just drafted Lokombo.

[TheLionKing]

Worth a gamble

[SammyGreene]

Wow we just drafted Lokombo.

Great pick at this stage of the draft

Seydou Junior Haidara adds to the equation of possibly starting 3 Canadian receivers.

[WestCoastJoe]

Getting the top ranked receiver is a bonus IMO. The Air Force is key in the CFL. Our NI receiver corps is pretty neat.

13. Seydou Junior Haidara (SB, Laval): big, physical receiver was the only pass catcher to improve his stock at the CFL Combine; once a high end recruit, he never had big numbers for the Rouge et Or but might be better suited to the pro level

6'1" 215# "big, physical receiver" - gonna go way out on a very thin limb here WCJ. Could the physical characteristics of Haidara have Benevides and Stubler thinking like mad scientists that this guy could convert to safety?

Hmmmm ... Yup. He is an athlete. Receivers can find and go get the ball. So a conversion might have been in mind.

However, I think they like him as a receiver first and foremost.

I like this pick a lot.
..............

Do we have a chance at Lokombo? Dunno ...

I find this draft a bit of a head shaker. Hunter Steward? A project? Still with some NFL possibilities. A redshirt? Gheeez ...

Haidara

Lokombo We might never see him in a Lions' uniform.

How about D Line? How about safety?

Some say this draft was thin on talent. The Lions, with their picks, might be showing some of that reading.
...........

Two futures picks?

I thought Wally said he was moving away from that thinking.

I don't like futures. If they are that good, they go to the NFL. If they underperform in their final year, then they would not be as highly rated anyway.
..........

I like Haidara. For the other picks, unimpressed. Just IMO ...

And thank you, Jonathan Hardaway for greatly influencing our draft. I might say screwing up our draft. Steward? *!?

Hunter Steward??**!!

[Hambone]

Lokombo!

Risky pick but I like it. The overall level and depth of NI talent is improving quickly every year. That the CFL added a round this year when Ottawa is also taking 4 names off the board. What amounts to a bonus pick with the 7th rounder and the overall depth throughout I think it's a good place to jump in on the consensus best draft eligible. There's no way Lokombo would make it around to their next pick at 33. It's probably an exercise in hair splitting and personal preferences of the scouts with the next couple of dozen players. The way I look at it with so very little difference between the other players the Lions could've drafted at 21 odds are good they will still get 3 or 4 of their next 10 highest ranked players with their remaining picks. If you look at your board and see little to no difference between your 20th and 50th ranked players then why not gamble on the likes of consensus #1 Lokombo at 21. You do that and still get players you really like the rest of the way.

[B.C.FAN]

I'm a bit surprised by the Lions' top three picks. Only one is eligible to attend camp this year, and he plays a position where the Lions have great non-import depth.

In the first round, the Lions went off the charts to take Hunter Steward at No. 6 overall. He's a converted defensive lineman now playing offensive tackle at Liberty. Mike Benevides praised his strength and athleticism.

Best comment: From Wally Buono via ‏@News1130Sports: "We needed a good OL - he will be at camp next year".


Several mock drafts had Seydou Junior Haidara going to Montreal in the first round. He's considered a quality receiver and good pick at No. 12 overall but that's not a prime area of need for the Lions and his size and lack of speed (4.675) suits a tight end more than a wide receiver. Perhaps the Lions are looking at someone who can fill a role as an inside possession receiver and blocker or to use as insurance for the expansion draft.

Best comment: From Haidara himself, via @bclions: "Being in Vancouver for Vanier Cup in 2011 I fell in love with the city & I can't wait to get there"


Bo Lokombo is a futures gamble in the third round but that's what the third round is for. He's a local product who could play defensive end or linebacker in the CFL but he has big NFL dreams that would have to expire first.

Best comment: From Mike Beamish ‏@sixbeamers: "hopes and expects to be taken in 1st round by an NFL team in 2014."