David Moll/Stampeders.com
TORONTO — All nine CFL teams will head to the phones on May 3 with an eye on the metaphorical tomorrow.
The CFL Draft, of course, is about accruing as much young Canadian talent with as much upside as possible to provide ratio flexibility in the long run. With that said, no one will complain if a draft pick can make an immediate impact.
Two years ago we saw seven of eight first round picks start games for their respective teams, entering unprecedented territory for draft selections providing sudden return on investment. That 2016 draft class saw rising new stars like Alex Singleton and Taylor Loffler — along with regular starters such as Brandon Revenberg and Jason Lauzon-Seguin — all within a few months of being selected.
While the CFL Draft may be about the long game, the 2017 class, so far, has been a little less rewarding for general managers in the first 12 months. We’re still a few years away from drawing any real conclusions, but as of now not one of last year’s nine first round picks has emerged as a regular starter.
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First overall pick Faith Ekakitie was a rotational player on the Bombers’ D-line and Ticats fourth overall pick Connor McGough made an impact on special teams and did play some defence. Meanwhile, Nate Behar and Danny Vandervoort, the two receivers chosen in the first round, combined for one reception.
Last year’s draft did, however, produce some hidden gems, as Kwaku Boateng, Tunde Adeleke and Dondre Wright already look like future stars.
General managers are not necessarily looking for someone who can step in and play right away when they make their picks next month. But for CFL.ca draft guru Marshall Ferguson, there are a few players that are ready to become starters right away at the professional level.
David Mackie
RB, Western
Mackie isn’t the type of traditional ball-carrier that fans look for in a running back, which could actually give him the edge at his position. The Western running back is known more for his ability to block and play special teams.
“He has a higher blocking IQ than any other running back, fullback, H-back in this draft,” said Ferguson. “I think that’s going to allow him to be on a roster pretty quickly just because scouts value that more for a back than being able to carry the football.”
David Mackie runs with the football during last month’s combine in Winnipeg (Jason Halstead/CFL.ca)
Another reason we could be seeing plenty of Mackie in 2018, and that he could go in the first round, is his ability as a long-snapper.
“His long-snapping experience is huge,” said Ferguson. “He’s the best longsnapper in the draft and he’s the fullback for an offence that dominated U SPORTS and won a Vainer Cup based off a dominant run game.
“I think Mackie adds immediate value to anyone that takes him.”
Ryan Hunter
OL, Bowling Green
With no consensus first overall pick, the athletic offensive lineman out of Bowling Green might be a dark horse candidate to go first overall. Part of that is his polished pro-ready profile.
“To me he’s the most athletic offensive lineman in the draft, at least he’s 1A-1B with Dakoda Shepley,” said Ferguson.
Shepley is considered a lock to go in the first few picks in the draft and was the most dominant player at the CFL Combine. But while Shepley skyrocketed in this month’s CFL Scouting Bureau, it was Hunter overtaking David Knevel in the No. 1 spot.
“In terms of the scheme he’s played in, he’s been a Division I guy,” said Ferguson. “Athletically he can hold his own. He’s been consistent. He’s been healthy. He just feels like he has the type of pedigree that a GM is going to want to add if they want to have somebody play quickly.”
Ryan Hunter earned the top-ranked spot in this month’s scouting bureau ranking (Bowling Green State University)
Finding a starting job right out of camp might not be in the cards for the draft’s top-ranked prospect. But Ferguson seems to believe Hunter could push for a starting job later in the season.
“My comparable for Hunter is Brandon Revenberg because when he went high to the Ticats, they already had Peter Dyakowski, but pretty quickly it was apparent that he deserved to play over Dyakowski in that spot for the Ticats,” said Ferguson. “Hunter will be drafted with the vision as someone that develops and he’ll play his way onto a dressed roster pretty quickly.”
Mark Chapman
REC, Central Michigan
The most draft-ready prospect might be Chapman, who showed advanced athleticism at the combine last month in Winnipeg along with the ability to make an immediate impact both on special teams and offence.
For that reason, there are rumblings that the Als just can’t pass up on Chapman with the first overall pick — even if he doesn’t fit an immediate need in Montreal.
“Chapman, despite the fact that he’s undersized, the way the CFL receiver position is trending, everyone might think it’s bigger and thicker and all that — but I think that a body type like Chapman in the return game and all the quick screens and quick passing we have in the league now, he’s a perfect fit for all that stuff,” said Ferguson.
Chapman ran a 4.69, the fourth-best 40 time among receivers, and was the fastest in the three-cone and second-fastest in the shuttle. But not only that, the Central Michigan product consistently showed his ability to separate in one-on-ones against DBs on Day 2.
“He has the ability, based on the offence he played in and the way he was used at Central Michigan, to adapt to the CFL style of football extremely quickly,” said Ferguson. “I think that gives him an upper hand over every other receiver in this draft.”
