Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photography
TORONTO — You might say Nolan MacMillan is kind of like the last beer in the fridge.
That’s how the guys on The Waggle put it this week, as Davis Sanchez and James Cybuslki listed their top 10 pending free agents. Near the top of the list, sitting at number four, was MacMillan.
“You look in the fridge, there’s one beer left and that thing is golden,” said Sanchez. “Nolan MacMillan is the last beer. He’s a very good young lineman.”
MacMillan is free to test the market on Feb. 14 if, after three seasons in the nation’s capital, he doesn’t sign an extension:
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 7 TEAM – 4 POS — 3 |
2016 BY THE #’S GP – 7 STARTS – 6 |
So why is MacMillan like ‘the last beer’? For starters, Canadian offensive linemen — especially tackles — are always at a premium. This year’s free agent crop is particularly devoid of nationals that can start.
Another factor is his age, 26. Unlike some of the other options in free agency, MacMillan has the majority of his career ahead of him.
Add that to the fact that he’s 6-foot-6 with the ability to play both tackle and guard and it’s easy to see why his name will be popular among CFL front offices.
“He’s one of the best linemen regardless of nationality,” said Sanchez, “so when you pair that with the fact that he’s a national and he can play numerous positions . . . he’s young, he’s got upside – he’s got it all.
“He’s a monster, he’s huge,” Sanchez continued. “I could argue he’s number one on this list in terms of what kind of dollar figure he’ll command on the open market.
“He’s a player.”
MacMillan was drafted with the ninth overall pick in 2013, joining an expansion REDBLACKS team that won only two games. His presence up front, however, played a key role in the team’s resurgence the following year, helping Ottawa win 12 games, claim the East Division title and appear in the 103rd Grey Cup Championship.
He started only six regular season games in 2016 but did suit up for the 104th Grey Cup in Toronto, helping the REDBLACKS to victory over the Calgary Stampeders.
You can listen to the entire podcast, including Davis and James’ top free agents heading into Tuesday, below:
Episode 37 – Meet the man who makes the CFL sked + Free Agent Frenzy
James and Davis deliver their pre-free agency power rankings, rating which teams are the strongest heading into Feb. 14. They also dive into the recently-released 2017 schedule and are joined by Trevor Hardy, the mastermind behind it all for the CFL.
