Hindsight 20/20: Ferguson re-shuffles the 2012 draft

Marshall Ferguson

CFL.ca

@TSN_Marsh

The Canadian football League draft is nearly upon us again with scouts, coaches and executives deciding which players they see a fit with their team.

Sometimes the best way to learn what might be coming is to look backwards. With that in mind, I took a look back at the 2012 CFL draft to find the biggest steals, snubs, home runs and sneaky success stories.

In re-drafting the 2012 edition, I took the perspective on hindsight being 20/20. In other words, forget about what the players were at the point of the draft, and focus on drafting them today with the understanding of what they have become over the last six CFL seasons.

:: Have a look at the original 2012 Draft here ::

ROUND 1

Overall	Team	Player	Position	Previous Pick
1	SSK	JUSTIN CAPICCIOTTI	DE	14th Overall
While Capicciotti might not be the flashiest player, there is no denying his consistent production since entering the CFL. Justin has amassed at least 30 tackles and a couple of special teams tackles each of the last four years, including a season split between the Riders and Ticats in 2016.While other defensive linemen such as Laing and Westerman in the 2012 draft might carry more weight with their name, Capicciotti has been nothing but humble, productive and consistent. What else could you want in a high draft pick?
2	BC	CLEYON LAING	DT	9th Overall
Now a back-to-back Grey Cup Champion on two different teams, Cleyon Laing has become some sort of late-season CFL closer. He is an effective pass rusher whose peak season – in 2015 – saw the Iowa State grad collect nine sacks, 41 tackles and two forced fumbles.
3	WPG	MIKE FILER	C	31st Overall
While I wanted to put Westerman here out of respect for his ability and production, there is no denying the value of an offensive lineman like Mount Allison’s Mike Filer. Filer didn’t test well and his AUS competition level likely hurt evaluation, but the guy can straight up play football and since being drafted in the middle rounds to Calgary in 2012, Filer has become the rock of the Ticats interior offensive line. He currently represents the longest standing member of Hamilton’s organization and doesn’t appear to be leaving anytime soon while still communicating and playing at a high level.
4	EDM	JABAR WESTERMAN	DT	2nd Overall
By no means has Westerman been any kind of bust or disappointment, in my opinion, despite being ‘demoted’ from the second pick to fourth overall. Last year Hence Muamba got upset because I re-drafted him as the second overall selection instead of the top pick where he was actually selected, but this is no slight to an exceedingly consistent career for Westerman. Just a look back at how players’ production and ability have stacked up in real CFL games, not the underwear Olympics of evaluation season. Westerman has averaged 16.5 tackles per year in his six-year career while only dipping below 14 tackles once during the 2017 Alouettes campaign.
5	CGY	COURTNEY STEPHEN	DB	8th Overall
Courtney Stephen assumed a starting role in Hamilton last year and despite a tough start showed every ounce of ability to play against the best offensive threats in the CFL. He has earned the bump from eighth overall to fifth.
6	EDM	SHAMAWD CHAMBERS	WR	6th Overall
Sometimes during a re-draft you realize how perfect the spot, role and match of a draft pick actually was. To me that’s the case with Shamawd Chambers of Wilfrid Laurier. A testing freak with prototypical size and good hands, Chambers has since moved back East from Edmonton but the Eskimos got this one right. Shamawd made 109 catches in his first three seasons in the Empire while getting into the end zone seven times.
7	WPG	SAM HURL	LB	12th Overall
Sam Hurl eventually ended up being the starting middle linebacker for the Bombers. Why not draft him there now? I listened to the Bombers radio post game show callers plenty last year so I think I understand the flaws and concerns in Hurl’s game, but he has been a national staple capable of battling week in, week out since being drafted and deserved to be taken higher.
8	BC	PATRICK LAVOIE	RB	11th Overall
A thick, physical blocker capable of owning the point of attack but equally dangerous catching a pass over the middle or in the flats. Lavoie is the modern template for a CFL H-Back.

ROUND 2

Overall	Team	Player	Position	Previous Pick
9	HAM	KIRBY FABIEN	OL	7th Overall
Despite the Lions’ struggles last year, during which Fabien arguably had the worst season of his career, he still ranks amongst some of the best offensive lineman playing today from this relatively weak – considering who came to the CFL and stuck – lineman class.
10	TOR	FREDERIC PLESIUS	LB	10th Overall
A special teams monster capable of filling a void at middle linebacker respectfully. Similar to Chambers, the number where Plesius was picked feels just about right.
11	HAM	ARNAUD GASCON-NADON	DE	17th Overall
For years Plesius was complemented by Arnaud Gascon-Nadon at Laval, yet Plesius was viewed as the dramatically better prospect. Gascon-Nadon has proven his worth in Hamilton and now Ottawa to the point I feel comfortable arguing he could and likely should have been taken earlier.
12	MTL	BRAD ERDOS	OL	27th Overall
A consistent offensive lineman who still finds himself lacing up cleats for the team that drafted him, Brad Erdos is clearly respected by the Stampeders and was undervalued in the 2012 draft amongst a group of many other offensive linemen who are no longer playing.
13	SSK	JAKE THOMAS	OL	29th Overall
At Acadia Jake Thomas was an undersized dynamo. In the CFL he has grinded to maintain a roster spot, battling against a frame not typically built to push a pocket or take on a double team. I’ve always respected his game and see him as one of the late round picks that has made something of a career few other than himself likely expected.
14	EDM	ADAM BERGER	DB	30th Overall
Since being taken in the middle of the 2012 CFL Draft by Calgary, Berger experienced a slow rise as a rotational special teams player and emergency injury fill-in. He switched one shade of red and black for another in 2017 when he moved from Calgary to Ottawa, where he continues to hold a role. Not a flashy or sexy pick but a player still in the league playing a national role required by every team.
15	HAM	RYAN KING	LB/LS	38th Overall
A linebacker and long snapper who played in nearly every game since being drafted until an injury sidelined him in 2017. Consistency is the key here.
16	EDM	KEYNAN PARKER	DB	42nd Overall
Son of the late James ‘Quick’ Parker, Keynan has registered seasons of 12, 13, and 17 special teams tackles since entering the CFL. Yet to crack the Lions’ defensive secondary but a solid football player.

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