UCF Athletics
With teams giving a partial glimpse into their negotiation lists again this year and revealing 10 names on their list, here’s a look at some of the most interesting of the 90 names revealed on Monday.
Connor Cook, QB, Cincinnati Bengals (Toronto Argonauts)
The winningest quarterback in Michigan State history, Cook is currently trying to stick with the Bengals, his third stop in the NFL after being drafted in the fourth-round (100th overall) by Oakland in 2016. The six-foot-four, 215-pound QB only has one start to his name, but it was on a big stage. Injuries opened the door for him to start in the 2016 AFC Wildcard game for the Raiders, where they fell to Houston. While with Carolina in the preseason this year, he impressed the Bengals, who added him to their practice roster on Nov. 5. In Cincinnati, he’s two injuries away from seeing the field and at just 25-years old, could still be a few years away from exploring options outside of the NFL.
Shaquem Griffin, LB, Seattle Seahawks (Toronto Argonauts)
Griffin remains on the Argos neg list, after his name was one of those revealed in 2017. The Central Florida product is trying to find a niche with the Seattle Seahawks, who took him in the fifth-round of this year’s NFL draft. The first one-handed player drafted in the modern era of the NFL, he’s been a consistent contributor on special teams and is working to get back the starting linebacker job he lost in the first week of the season.
Alex Tanney, QB, New York Giants (Montreal Alouettes)
Let’s start with what the viral evidence shows us: Alex Tanney has no problems with accuracy. Now 31, Tanney has bounced around the NFL the last six years. That leads us to some more evidence: Tanney’s chances of significant NFL playing time are diminishing. NJ.com reported last month that if Tanney were to start a game this year, he’d only be the second NFL QB in the last 30 years to get his first career start at age 31 or higher. While he’s worked and waited for his shot, Tanney sits on an impressive college resume. His passing yards (14,249), completions (1,205) and touchdown passes (157) at Monmouth were all Div. III records.
Knile Davis, RB, free agent (Montreal Alouettes)
Davis, 27, became a star running back at Arkansas, then spent four years (2013 to 2016) with the Kansas City Chiefs as the team’s backup running back and kick returner. He had two good years there before being traded to Green Bay in 2016. He’s had a few short stays with teams since then, but was released by the Chicago Bears on Sept. 1 this year. At five-foot-10 and 227 pounds, he’s heavier set than many running backs and returners in the league. Edmonton’s C.J. Gable would be a close physical comparison.
Gardner Minshew, QB, Washington State University (Hamilton Tiger-Cats)
Minshew won a JUCO national championship as a freshman at Northwest Mississippi Community College in 2015 and has lit it up with Washington State this year, leading the Cougars to a school-record-tying 10 wins. Ticats GM Eric Tillman said that Minshew was a heralded high school quarterback in his hometown of Brandon, Mississippi, but was overlooked by colleges because of his size. As a junior at Washington, he led all NCAA Div. I FBS quarterbacks with 2,422 passing yards in the first half of the season. He’s had single-game totals of 473 yards, 470 and in a game against Stanford on Oct. 27, made 40 of 50 passes for 438 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also currently rocks a magnificent mustache.
“His skillset is perfectly suited for our league,” Tillman said. “He plays in a spread offence, he’s played in bad weather. Some people would from the NFL will question his size (he’s six-foot-two, 220 pounds) but we see him as a guy that is a perfect fit in our league from the skill set standpoint.”
Tua Tagavailoa, QB, Alabama (Hamilton Tiger-Cats)
The Ticats are swinging for the fences with this pick. Tagavailoa shocked the college football world a year ago when he came in off of the bench as a freshman to lead the Crimson Tide to a national championship win over Georgia. As the starter in 2018, the Hawaiian-born 20-year-old is a Heisman finalist, after steering his team to a perfect 13-0 record. Tagavailoa put up 3,353 yards, had 37 touchdowns and just four interceptions this year, while making 67.7 per cent of his passes. He rushed 48 times for 190 yards and five touchdowns. Not NFL draft eligible until 2020, there have already been rumblings that if he were eligible this year, Tagavailoa would go first overall. It would take a lot and probably a long time for this pick to find its way to Hamilton.
Luke Falk, QB, Miami Dolphins (Ottawa REDBLACKS)
No one has won more games at Washington State than Falk, who is currently on the Miami Dolphins’ injured list and out for the season. As a freshman with the Cougars, Falk was first-team All-Pac-12 and went on to set conference records in career passing attempts, completions, completion percentage, passing yards and passing touchdowns. Just 23, the Dolphins seem committed to Falk. As he went to the injured list this year, the Dolphins spoke highly of his ability and his work ethic. The REDBLACKS will likely have to continue to play the waiting game for this six-foot-four, 223-pound pivot that was drafted this year by Tennessee in the sixth-round.
Khalil Tate QB, Arizona (BC Lions)
The talent is undeniable with Tate. When you look at what he’s capable of — as a sophomore, he went in for the injured starter last year and ran for 327 yards and four touchdowns and had 481 yards total offence — he seems like he’d be a perfect fit for the CFL game. The six-foot-two, 215-pound 20-year-old was on a number of preseason award watch lists but had a rough year with the Wildcats and seems like he’s contemplating transferring schools. With his senior year in front of him and provided he stays healthy and can produce, there will likely be NFL interest around him, making him a long-term wait-and-see project for Ed Hervey and Tori Hunter in BC.
Gage Gubrud, QB, Eastern Washington (BC Lions)
If you follow the CFL at all, you know what this is about. Eastern Washington University has been a pipeline of American talent for the CFL over the years, including giving us Vernon Adams Jr., Bo Levi Mitchell and Matt Nichols. So why not put a fourth EWU arm into the CFL? Gubrud had his senior season cut short when he fractured the big toe on his right foot this fall. It shut the door on a brilliant two-year run. EWU was 12-2 in 2016, when Gubrud, six-foot-two, 195 pounds, threw for 5,160 yards and 48 touchdowns, to 14 interceptions, while rushing for 606 yards. In 2017, he threw for 3,342 yards in 10 games and had 1,416 yards in five games this year before he was injured. He no doubt has pro aspirations and with Nichols, Mitchell and other alumni around the program, he’ll know about his options in Canada.
Eric Barriere, QB, Eastern Washington (Winnipeg Blue Bombers)
Why not make it five EWU QBs in the CFL? The most overused cliche in football applies for Eric Barriere: Next man up. When Gubrud was lost for the season at EWU, Barriere stepped in and led the Eagles to another playoff appearance. In 10 games this year, Barriere has made 135 of 231 passes for 1,665 yards with 14 touchdowns and five interceptions. He finished second on the team in rushing yards, taking the ball 70 times for 507 yards and six touchdowns. As a sophomore, there’s still lots of college football in his future, but stashing the young QB of a team that’s proven it produces CFL-capable players was a smart move from Kyle Walters and the Blue Bombers.
Jaelen Strong, WR, free agent (Calgary Stampeders)
Strong currently sits on the fringes of the CFL, a talented 24-year-old receiver that through an NFL draft day trade is linked to another CFL player, in DeVier Posey. Strong was taken 70th overall by the Houston Texans in the 2015 NFL draft, part of a trade with the New York Jets that saw Posey go to New York, along with their third, fifth and seventh-round picks. Strong had consecutive 1,000-yard seasons at Arizona State and through 20 games in the NFL over three seasons had 31 catches for 330 yards and four touchdowns. He tore his ACL in late December last year and was released by Jacksonville on April 30. If healthy, the six-foot-two, 217-pound receiver could provide a boost to a Calgary receiving corps that will still be healing from its rash of 2018 injuries and undergoing free agency changes.
Marcus McMaryion, QB, Fresno State (Calgary Stampeders)
McMaryion may not know it yet, but he’s a very CFL-friendly type player. The six-foot-two, 203-pound California native is playing under coach Jeff Tedford at Fresno State. Tedford played six seasons in the CFL as a quarterback, from 1983 to 1988. He was an assistant coach with Calgary from 1989 to 1991 and came back to the CFL as a head coach with BC in 2015. McMaryion used his senior year with the Bulldogs to put together the best season of his college career. He threw for 3,453 yards and completed 70 per cent of his passes, with 25 touchdowns to three interceptions. He also rushed for 253 yards and seven touchdowns. Having spent the 2017 season with now Ticats head coach Orlondo Steinauer on staff, he’s already practised against one of the best defensive minds the CFL has to offer.
Ian Book, QB, Notre Dame (Saskatchewan Roughriders)
When you quarterback a storied, but oft-suffering program like Notre Dame to its first undefeated season in 30 years and a playoff game, you’ll catch the attention of the football world. Chris Jones and the Roughriders took notice of Book and put him on their neg list this year. The 20-year-old junior gained the trust of his coach, Brian Kelly, who went away from a 12-3 starter in Brandon Wimbush and let Book go to work. He threw for 2,468 yards and 19 touchdowns this year, with six interceptions. If the CFL is in the cards for him, playing for a diehard fanbase like Notre Dame’s would prepare him well for his time in Riderville.
Ameer Abdullah, RB, Minnesota Vikings (Edmonton Eskimos)
A second-round pick by Detroit in 2015, Abdullah came into the NFL with high stock after running all over the competition through a four-year career at Nebraska. He cracked the 1,000-yard rushing mark in every year but his freshman season, going over the 1,600-yard mark in his junior and senior years. In the NFL, he wasn’t able to produce at the same clip. Through 38 games the 25-year-old had 327 carries for 1,251 yards and six touchdowns. The Lions waived him on Nov. 6 this year, with the Vikings scooping him up the next day. At five-foot-nine and 207 pounds, he fits the bill of many successful running backs in the CFL, like William Powell, Tre Mason and Tyrell Sutton.
Edmonton still has Shane Zylstra, the brother of former Esk and current Viking Brandon Zylstra on its neg list.
