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

[OV - 54:40]

Westerman sure shot-up the draft rankings in a hurry - maybe it was a great CFL E-Camp? - although he is quite a bit smaller with a quite a bit lesser bench press # than a couple of CIS all-star DT types (Van Praeet and Postuma - both undrafted) who were available; Westerman must have showed great stuff in the one-on-one drills maybe; and as far as his defensive stats and play at E-Michigan - solid i guess, but hardly spectacular; a top first round pick on a project who is unlikely to play at all behind the likes of Taylor & Mitchell at DT ? - could pan out i guess - maybe he becomes a solid starting CFL DT down the road.

Norman was a steal where the Lions got him IMO - big , strong OG and repeat CIS all-star at a program known for good offence - i could see him being a future solid CFL starting guard for years; and BTW is Sage from last year's draft due back for Lions' TC? - another huge and proven CIS star OG type; i'll bet either of those guys end up playing/starting in the CFL before Fabien ever does as a NI OT - but maybe he could be converted to OG?

[MexicoLionFan]

Westerman shot up like a bullet at the end because he it wasn't determined until very recently that he could be designated as a NON IMPORT...very few thought that he would get that status, so he wasn't scouted at all. The Lions did their due diligence, as did the Bombers, but Wally got him...and Westerman, based on the game film that Joe provided could very well end up being THE BEST SELECTION out of this entire draft. I think that within 2 years, we could be looking at the replacement for Eric Taylor...again, just what we needed.

[OV - 54:40]

Westerman shot up like a bullet at the end because he it wasn't determined until very recently that he could be designated as a NON IMPORT...very few thought that he would get that status, so he wasn't scouted at all. The Lions did their due diligence, as did the Bombers, but Wally got him...and Westerman, based on the game film that Joe provided could very well end up being THE BEST SELECTION out of this entire draft. I think that within 2 years, we could be looking at the replacement for Eric Taylor...again, just what we needed.

Westerman and his brothers, have been on CFL draft radar for years now; his bother who plays for the Jets, did not get NI status for the CFL draft a couple of years back; and sure - he COULD be the best selection of this entire draft - hardly based on E-Camp measureables or superb, stellar college ball play though - he wasn`t exactly an Otogwe or Kaczur or Jon Cornish or Eric Deslauriers type impact player in US college ball; time will tell i guess.

[WestCoastJoe]

I expect Westerman to get lots of playing time this year. I expect he will be a rotation player.

Benevides has said he intends to dress 6 D Linemen, and that means one NI, ala Brent Johnson. I was hoping for that from TC on last year, but we didn't get into it until the stretch drive. Glad to hear Benny wants it from the get go this year.

I don't expect Westerman to be a starter, except in unusual circumstances. He is rare. Imports are not. We want to keep him fresh and healthy. And I don't expect him to outplay Taylor or Mitchell. If he did, that would be astonishing.

Just as he, he is exactly what we need. An energy guy, with great strength, mobility and quickness.

........

We need some depth behind him. It seems to me there are some possibilities out there, undrafted.

Or we think in terms of 3-4 as a change of pace, but we didn't know how to make that work last year. Stubler could do it, however.

........

I was a little disappointed we didn't get a second D Lineman in the draft. But I can see now that we were lucky Matt Norman fell to us. He could be a solid pro for us for years.

Building a team never stops, but as of right now our cupboard is very well stocked.

Well done, Wally, Benny, Neil, Kelly, et cetera.

[Shi Zi Mi]

I expect Westerman to get lots of playing time this year. I expect he will be a rotation player.

Benevides has said he intends to dress 6 D Linemen, and that means one NI, ala Brent Johnson. I was hoping for that from TC on last year, but we didn't get into it until the stretch drive. Glad to hear Benny wants it from the get go this year.

I don't expect Westerman to be a starter, except in unusual circumstances. He is rare. Imports are not. We want to keep him fresh and healthy. And I don't expect him to outplay Taylor or Mitchell. If he did, that would be astonishing.

Just as he, he is exactly what we need. An energy guy, with great strength, mobility and quickness.

........

We need some depth behind him. It seems to me there are some possibilities out there, undrafted.

Or we think in terms of 3-4 as a change of pace, but we didn't know how to make that work last year. Stubler could do it, however.

........

I was a little disappointed we didn't get a second D Lineman in the draft. But I can see now that we were lucky Matt Norman fell to us. He could be a solid pro for us for years.

Building a team never stops, but as of right now our cupboard is very well stocked.

Well done, Wally, Benny, Neil, Kelly, et cetera.

All teams are allowed 2 additional picks after the draft......each team submits a list of players from this years draft and using the same rules as the draft (lowest team picks first) players are allotted......so getting another D lineman is a possibility.

The Winnipeg media has identified the 2 players the Bombers got......but nothing from anywhere else.

Anybody hearing/reading anything about this?

[B.C.FAN]

All teams are allowed 2 additional picks after the draft......each team submits a list of players from this years draft and using the same rules as the draft (lowest team picks first) players are allotted......so getting another D lineman is a possibility.

The Winnipeg media has identified the 2 players the Bombers got......but nothing from anywhere else.

Anybody hearing/reading anything about this?

That's interesting. I thought undrafted Canadians were UFAs as in the NFL and free to sign anywhere. I haven't heard of any other on the Lions' radar other than the junior football players who worked out with the club a week ago. I don't think any defensive linemen were mentioned then.

[joe kapp22]

I like the pick, will be happier when he is in training camp in our colors so to speak.

[WestCoastJoe]

Undrafted defensive tackles ...

8. Mike van Praet (Western)
9. Seamus Postuma (Windsor)
10. Adam Hindley (Manitoba)
Sleeper: David Rybinski – Saskatchewan
On The Radar:
Jonathan Drolet (Laval),
Carson Dowds (Saint Mary's),
Djordje Gavrilovic (Waterloo),
Tanvir Bhangoo (McMaster),
Alex Brouwers (Wilfrid Laurier),
Lincoln Bryan (Manitoba),
Benton Gieni (Regina)

Undrafted defensive ends ...

Sleeper: Rob Jubenville – Saint Mary's
On The Radar:
David Lee (Western),
Frank Pankewich (Queen's),
Ryan Downe (Mount Allison),
Kalven Seilis (Guelph),
Mike Millar (Guelph),
Scott Caterine (McMaster),
Matthew Meyer (Concordia),
Ben Ivany (Wilfrid Laurier),
Patrick Russell (York),
Alexander Hutchinson (McGill)

[WestCoastJoe]

Undrafted defensive tackles ...

8. Mike van Praet (Western) 6' 300

9. Seamus Postuma (Windsor) 6'3" 300

10. Adam Hindley (Manitoba) 6'2" 270

Sleeper: David Rybinski – Saskatchewan 6'4" 290

Jonathan Drolet (Laval), 6'3" 270

Carson Dowds (Saint Mary's), 6'2" 268

Djordje Gavrilovic (Waterloo), 6'5" 266

Tanvir Bhangoo (McMaster), 6'3" 278

Alex Brouwers (Wilfrid Laurier), 6'4" 225

Lincoln Bryan (Manitoba), 6'2" 310

Benton Gieni (Regina) 6'3" 285

[Shi Zi Mi]

Here's he article about the 2 extra picks........see 2nd last paragraph:

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/ ... 17671.html

Dlineman Rob Juvenville was one of the Bombers selections....the other, Jean-Sebastien Laberge, also a dlineman but they're planning on converting him to the oline.

[Shi Zi Mi]

As they didn't draft a receiver (identified as a targeted need by Benevides):

5. Bogdan Raic – Ottawa
6. Jordan Brescacin – Windsor
7. Sanchez Deschamps – Concordia

or possibly:
9. Jawann Westerman – Rutgers
You'd think getting the other Westerman bro would be a great marketing tool.

[WestCoastJoe]

Here's he article about the 2 extra picks........see 2nd last paragraph:

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/ ... 17671.html

Dlineman Rob Juvenville was one of the Bombers selections....the other, Jean-Sebastien Laberge, also a dlineman but they're planning on converting him to the oline.

Thanks, SZM. Seems to me the Lions could use a D Lineman and possibly a receiver from the available talent.

The Bombers secured the rights to two more Canadians in the annual selection of players who got passed over in the draft.

Each CFL team submits a preferred list of players who weren’t selected, and each squad gets two players based on waiver priority. The Bombers landed Sherbrooke defensive lineman Jean-Sebastien Laberge, who will compete at offensive line in Winnipeg, and Saint Mary’s defensive lineman Rob Jubenville.

This un-publicized procedure is another CFL secret, kind of like the negotiation lists.

Lincoln Bryan is interesting, but he has bounced around to many different teams.

There are some big bodies available, and it seems to me a non-import NT type just has to plug that hole in the middle, even for a few downs. Of course Jabar Westerman is capable of producing a lot more than that, but a backup to him does not need to do as much.

And I think there are a great number of avaiable possession type non-import receivers. We need some depth there too.

[Shi Zi Mi]

Actually this isn't new......Lowell Ullrich referred to this a couple days before the draft.

It seems to me that Dan McCulloch was added this way, back when he joined the Lions.....but off the top of my head, I can't think of any others.

[B.C.FAN]

A couple of new tweets on the topic of post-draft roster additions:

Okanagan Sun ‏ @Okanagan_Sun
Sun defensive lineman Steve Doege has been invited to @BCLions rookie camp following an impressive evaluation camp this past weekend #cfl

I don't know anything about Doege but junior invitees who were brought to training camp in recent years (Andrew Harris, Jordan Linnen) have proved to be solid players. The Lions could use another big non-import body on the defensive side of the ball.

David William Naylor ‏ @TSNDaveNaylor
There were lots of undrafted CIS players added to CFL negotiation lists after last week's draft. But those are a secret. Ridiculous. #cfl

This makes some sense. Instead of a feeding frenzy for free agents, teams can add non-imports as well as imports to their neg lists and retain first rights to a player. I would still expect to hear about some of them being signed. Rookie camp is only weeks away.

[Shi Zi Mi]

A couple of new tweets on the topic of post-draft roster additions:

Okanagan Sun ‏ @Okanagan_Sun
Sun defensive lineman Steve Doege has been invited to @BCLions rookie camp following an impressive evaluation camp this past weekend #cfl

I don't know anything about Doege but junior invitees who were brough to training camp in recent years (Andrew Harris, Jordan Linnen) have proved to be solid players. The Lions could use another big non-import body on the defensive side of the ball.

David William Naylor ‏ @TSNDaveNaylor
There were lots of undrafted CIS players added to CFL negotiation lists after last week's draft. But those are a secret. Ridiculous. #cfl

This makes some sense. Instead of a feeding frenzy for free agents, teams can add non-imports as well as imports to their neg lists and retain first rights to a player. I would still expect to hear about some of them being signed. Rookie camp is only weeks away.

I believe that Doege (and Andrew Harris) falls under the category of "territorial exemption"........the mini camp held in Vancouver a few days before the draft identified Doege, a RB by the name of Morris and and a couple of receivers that may fall in this category and get TC invites.