May 27, 2013

Alouettes ink three from 2013 Draft class

MontrealAlouettes.com

MontrealAlouettes.com Staff

MONTREAL — The Montreal Alouettes announced on Monday the signings of three of their 2013 CFL Canadian Draft picks, including both of their first-round picks — linebacker Mike Edem (3rd overall) and Montreal-native running back Steven Lumbala (5th overall). Defensive end Michael Klassen has also agreed to terms with the club. All three players from the University of Calgary have signed two-year deals.

Edem was the third player selected in this year’s CFL draft with a pick the Alouettes acquired from the Eskimos last season for punter Brody McKnight. Edem played weak-side linebacker during the 2012 CIS season with the Calgary Dinos and was named the Canada West Conference defensive player of the year.

The Brampton, ON native had a conference-leading 55 tackles, adding four quarterback sacks and one interception. The 23-year-old also spent time in La Belle Province, playing one CIS season with the McGill Redmen in 2009 at safety before transferring to the University of Calgary. Edem, born in Nigeria, also played collegiately at Champlain Regional College in Lennoxville.

Lumbala was named a Canada West All-Star at running back for the second-straight year. In nine games last season, including the playoffs, he gained 993 yards on 124 carries while scoring eight touchdowns. Lumbala, who was born in Montreal, added 148 yards on 16 receptions, scoring once. The 21-year-old amassed a career-best 251 rushing yards on 22 carries in a 38-14 win over Regina in the Hardy Cup on November 10, 2012. He now joins his older brother, B.C. Lions’ fullback Rolly Lumbala in the CFL.

Klassen joins Montreal after being selected in the fourth round of the 2013 CFL Canadian Draft with the 32nd overall pick. In 2012, the Calgary native led the Calgary Dinos with 5.5 quarterback sacks and recorded at least one defensive tackle in all eight regular season appearances. In a season filled with personal bests, the 22-year-old helped anchor a stingy Dinos’ defence that topped the Canada West conference in every category, finishing with a career-high 19.5 defensive tackles while recording his fist CIS interception in Week 3 against the University of Manitoba.