Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
TORONTO — When the pads came on and the field lit up, Danny Vandervoort came to play.
The McMaster Marauder and fourth-ranked prospect in the CFL Scouting Bureau didn’t lift the most or run the fastest at the CFL Combine presented by adidas last month in Regina. But when the time came to play football, that’s when Vandervoort stood out.
“Danny did what Danny does,” said CFL.ca’s draft guru Marshall Ferguson. “He complemented all of his athletic tests with exactly what I thought I’d see from him on the field: Smooth route-running, exceptional top-end speed, strong hands and a competitive nature in special teams drills that I don’t think a lot of people will know about until he makes a roster.”
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Vandervoort ran a 4.73 in the 40 and benched 13 reps at the combine before dazzling those in attendance at Evraz Place during one-on-one competition against DBs. In the end, the one-on-one battles between him and defensive back prospect Dondre Wright were can’t-miss TV.
“There was one rep that they had against each other where Danny went deep against Dondre and, even though Danny caught the ball and went 50 yards, I came out of it thinking those both look like CFL guys,” said Ferguson. “To see those two guys go head to head just looked like something you can enjoy for years to come.”
In short, everything about Danny Vandervoort screams top receiving prospect. The 6-foot-1, 203-pound receiver is projected to go fourth overall to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in both of Ferguson’s mock drafts thus far, while the Barrie, Ont. native’s combine performance helped him rise from seventh to fourth in the final edition of the scouting bureau rankings revealed last week.
The Hammer would be a fitting destination for Vandervoort considering some have compared him to 11-year veteran Andy Fantuz. But Ferguson sees more similarities between Vandervoort and former first overall pick Chris Bauman.
Bauman was a 6-foot-4, 220-pound receiver out of Regina who went on to play six seasons in the league. In the end, however, he failed to live up to the expectations of a top draft pick, partly due to injury.
With that being said, Ferguson doesn’t see the comparison as an indictment to Vandervoort’s abilities or his future in the Canadian Football League.
“Many view Chris Bauman as a bust after spending just four years in Hamilton with the team that took him first overall in 2007,” said Ferguson. “Others will criticize his ability to stay healthy during the full six years he spent in the CFL. These are both fair arguments and for the most part undeniable facts.
“However, there is a reason Bauman went first overall. It wasn’t a gross misevaluation by the Ticats, it was his combination of size and skill that drew them in — qualities Danny Vandervoort also possesses.”
Over four seasons with McMaster, Vandervoort recorded 2,572 yards and 29 touchdowns, including an OUA-leading 11 majors in 2015. He never recorded fewer than 31 catches in a season and 594 yards, both marks he posted at a freshman in 2013.
But perhaps most telling with Vandervoort is his durability. He never missed a game over his four-year career, suiting up in 32 regular season contests.
Danny Vandervoort never missed a game throughout his CIS career (Rick Zazulak/McMaster University)
While injuries aren’t necessarily in a player’s control, Ferguson says that fact won’t be lost on evaluators.
“While any player’s career can be injury plagued, I have seen a durability in Vandervoort’s game unlike many others,” said Ferguson. “McMaster fans were guilty of taking him for granted because he just never needed to miss a day.
“Despite taking on larger challenges in the CFL, I believe this continues for Danny and he adds the route running and smooth hands that made Bauman a first overall pick.”
At this point in time, Ferguson adds, Vandervoort is the 1-A receiver in the draft, slightly ahead of Carleton’s dynamic pass-catcher Nate Behar.
“I expect Danny to go somewhere in the first round.”
We’ll know for sure on May 7 at the 2017 CFL Draft.
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