CFL.ca Staff
CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders have selected, local product, Calgary Dinos receiver Anthony Parker with the third overall selection in the 2011 Canadian Draft.
The Stampeders traded up for the pick sending three picks to BC (6th, 11th and 37th overall) in exchange for the 3rd overall selection as well as the Lions fourth and fifth round selections (26th and 34th overall).
“We were pleased to be able to trade up and acquire Anthony with the third pick,” said John Hufnagel, head coach and GM of the Stampeders. “Anthony is a great talent and we’re thrilled that he will be joining our organization. Although it was close, Anthony was our top choice at the receiver position.”
With physical abilities that made CFL scouts drool Parker cemented his status as a top-level prospect at the CFL Evaluation in March. There he showed off his athleticism by finishing at or near the top of every testing category including a 4.54 40-yard dash( 2nd overall) and 43” vertical (1st overall). He also impressed in on-field drills.
Despite missing three regular season games due to injury last season with the Dinos, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound receiver finished third in Canada West with 73.4 receiving yards per contest and fifth in all-purpose yards with an average of 125.2.
Parker was also named a conference all-star for the second straight season, and really hit his stride in the playoffs with 588 all-purpose yards and six receiving touchdowns in four outings as he helped the Dinos claim their third consecutive Canada West title and reach the Vanier Cup final for the second year in a row.
With their second selection in the draft at no.9 overall the Stampeders chose Bishop’s defensive lineman Junior Turner. Like Parker, Turner also impressed scouts at E-Camp with his dynamic athletic ability.
“We were happy that Junior was still available at No. 9,” said Hufnagel. “We had Junior at the top of the list for defensive linemen.”
The Stamps then added another defensive lineman in Brian Bulcke by trading the 14th-overall selection to Edmonton.The Eskimos originally selected Bulcke with the sixth overall pick in the 2010 CFL Canadian Draft.
The Stamps selected yet another defensive lineman, Mount Allison’s Akwasi Antwi, in the fourth round (26th overall).
Calgary then made a big splash with their next pick (29th overall) by selecting Ottawa Gee-Gees quarterback Brad Sinopoli. Unlike other quarterbacks selected in recent drafts Sinopoli intends to remain a quarterback rather than switch to another position.
Sinopoli was the 2010 Hec Crighton winner after a sensational season with the Gee-Gees. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound QB led the country with 2,756 passing yards, 22 touchdown passes and 184 completions in conference play, all school records. He was also the Gee-Gees’ leading rusher with 534 yards on only 42 carries for a CIS-leading average of 12.7 yards per carry.
Calgary then chose another local product in running back Matt Walter (34th overall), despite Walter declaring that he will return to the Dinos for his fifth and final year of CIS eligibility.
The Stamps rounded out their draft by selecting Jared Manchelenko a tight end out of Concordia with the 45th pick.
