Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
With the 2016 CFL Draft approaching, let’s go back in time and look at how the players taken in the 2010 Canadian pick-fest fared by re-drafting the first round.
A five-year period in football is a long time and it provides enough sample size to delve into what might have happened if that draft was held today. The re-draft is based on taking the best player available and how CFL careers have turned out so far.
2010 1ST ROUND RE-DRAFT
1) Saskatchewan Roughriders
Ryan Bomben, OL, Guelph
ACTUAL PICK: Shomari Williams, DL/LB, Queen’s
BOMBEN’S DRAFT SPOT: 4th round, 31st overall
An All-Star calibre offensive lineman, who can lay guard or tackle if needed, with lots of strong years left in him makes Bomben the no. 1 selection.
Williams was a talented athlete and flashed potential in the pros, but he didn’t live up to the no. 1 hype.
2) Toronto Argonauts
Cory Greenwood, LB, Concordia
ACTUAL PICK: Joe Eppele, OL, Washington State
GREENWOOD’S DRAFT SPOT: 1st round, 3rd overall
Playing in the NFL broke down Greenwood’s body, which makes some evaluators feel that he doesn’t have as many years left in him as other players in the re-draft. Based on talent alone he could easily have been taken with the first pick.
Injuries cut Eppele’s career short, but he did make over 30 starts and was an integral part of the Argos’ 2012 Grey Cup championship team.
3) Toronto Argonauts
Kristian Matte, OL, Concordia
ACTUAL PICK: Cory Greenwood, LB, Concordia
MATTE’S DRAFT SPOT: 1st round, 7th overall
Matte is a steady interior lineman who can start at guard and centre. He signed a three-year extension with Montreal in January and appears to have plenty left to give the Alouettes up front.
The ratio-breaking Canadian linebacker, Greenwood, is already off our board.
4) B.C. Lions
J’Michael Deane, OL, Michigan State
ACTUAL PICK: Danny Watkins, OL, Baylor
DEANE’S DRAFT SPOT: 3rd round, 21st overall
If Deane happened to be lining up in the trenches for BC, the Lions would be ecstatic. He’s developed into a high-end Canadian blocker.
No one could have foreseen that Watkins – a first round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2011 NFL Draft – would walk away from football to be a firefighter.
5) Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Shawn Gore, REC, Bishop’s
ACTUAL PICK: Zac Carlson, OL, Weber State (2009 Supplemental Draft 1st rounder)
GORE’S DRAFT SPOT: 2nd round, 10th overall
Gore has been consistently productive for a Canuck starter – averaging more than 600 yards receiving and four total touchdowns per season over the last five years.
Carlson was never able to settle in to the CFL game. Injuries didn’t help either.
6) Calgary Stampeders
Marc-Olivier Brouillette, DB, Montreal
ACTUAL PICK: Rob Maver, K/P, Guelph
BROUILLETTE’S DRAFT SPOT: 3rd round, 23rd overall
While with the Carabins, Brouillette was an ultra athletic dual-threat quarterback. Since his university playing days he’s flipped sides and developed into a fierce tackler and defender.
Elite Canadian kickers and punters are hard to find and Maver, the two-time CFL All-Star punter, has proven he deserved to be taken in the first round. Especially when you consider how it turned out for some of the players that were called ahead of him in the real draft.
7) Edmonton Eskimos
Cory Watson, REC, Concordia
ACTUAL PICK: Brian Bulcke, DL, Stanford
WATSON’S DRAFT SPOT: 2nd round, 9th overall
If not for some nagging physical setbacks in the past, Watson could have gone even higher. He’s a reliable Canadian pass catcher who can provide big plays.
Bad luck with injuries has caused Bulcke to miss more game than he ever would have liked since beginning his CFL career.
8) Montreal Alouettes
Brian Bulcke, DL, Stanford
ACTUAL PICK: Kristian Matte, OL, Concordia
BULCKE’S DRAFT SPOT: 1st round, 6th overall
One of the most talented Canadian interior lineman in the league when healthy, Bulcke’s non-stop motor infuses energy into those around him. With his skills there’s no denying the ability to be an impact Canadian when between the white lines.
Matte has outplayed where he was drafted in 2010. Hence why he’s already been selected in the re-draft.
9) Ottawa REDBLACKS
Eddie Steele, DL, Manitoba
ACTUAL PICK: Jordan Sisco, WR, Regina
STEELE’S DRAFT SPOT: 3rd round, 22nd overall
Steele’s become reliable and versatile. He made two starts at right guard for Edmonton in 2015 while making 14 on the defensive line.
Sisco, a Regina native, was never able to make an impact with his hometown team.
Other players considered listed in order of where they were picked in 2010:
Shomari Williams, DL/LB, Queen’s (1st overall)
Rob Maver, K/P, Guelph (5th overall)
Grant Shaw, K/P, Saskatchewan (11th overall)
Joash Gesse, LB, Montreal (16th overall)
Spencer Watt, REC, Simon Fraser (18th overall)
Akeem Foster, REC, St. Francis Xavier (25th overall)
Chris Rwabukamba, DB, Duke (27th overall)
Anthony Woodson, RB, Calgary (29th overall)
Patrick Neufeld, OL, Saskatchewan (33rd overall)
Cauchy Muamba, DB, St. Francis Xavier (34th overall)
Justin Palardy, K/P, Saint Mary’s (36th overall)
Karl McCartney, LB, Saint Mary’s (37th overall)
Corbin Sharun, DB, St. Francis Xavier (43rd overall)
Christopher Greaves, OL, Western (45th overall)
