Pawel Dwulit/CFL.ca
CFL.ca Staff
#CFLDraft
OTTAWA — The Ottawa REDBLACKS have traded the first overall pick in the 2014 CFL Draft, as well as the playing rights to centre Marwan Hage to the Calgary Stampeders in exchange for offensive lineman Jon Gott.
The announcement comes just 30 minutes before the REDBLACKS were supposed to make the first overall selection.
“Trading for Jon Gott was by far a better option for us than making the first overall selection” said REDBLACKS general manager Marcel Desjardins.
“Our coaching staff is familiar with Jon as a player and as a person, so we know he’ll be a strong performer and a good teammate. Jon has proven himself to be a reliable, responsible and durable CFL player and we’re happy to have him in the REDBLACKS organization.”
Hage retired from the CFL in April after being selected by Ottawa in the 2013 Expansion Draft.
The REDBLACKS would receive a conditional draft pick from Calgary should the Stampeders trade Hage’s rights to another team.
The 28-year-old Gott is a five-year CFL veteran who saw action in 16 games in 2013, including 14 starts at left guard and one at centre. He also started the West final against Saskatchewan and was named a divisional all-star for the first time in his career.
In 2012, Gott played in 17 regular-season games and started at centre in 15 of those contests. He also started in all three playoff games for the Stampeders that season: the West semi-final, the West final and the Grey Cup.
The native of Edmonton attended Boise State and emerged as the go-to right guard in 2008 for the Broncos and was part of an offensive line that allowed just six sacks in eight Western Athletic Conference games.
“I would like to thank Jon Gott for all of his hard work and valuable contributions to the Stampeders since he joined the team five years ago,” said Stampeders head coach and general manager John Hufnagel.
“It is our understanding that Marwan will remain retired at this time but he provides a potential option in the future should he choose to resume his career,” said Hufnagel.
