LFA
Diego Jair Viamontes Cotera eventually dealt with the nerves that came with the combine on Sunday.
Once the 28-year-old receiver was on the field at Estadio Azul in Mexico City, the game put him at ease, like it always does.
He wasn’t ready for what came on Monday.
Surrounded by his friends, family, coaches, teammates and opponents in the LFA, Cotera was chosen first overall in the CFL-LFA draft. The room went up when his name was announced and it looked like he had to stop to take congratulations from every person in front of him before he made his way to the stage, where the Edmonton Eskimos awaited him.
“I couldn’t believe it,” he said after the draft, still wearing the Esks’ green and gold hat atop his head.
“I heard my number and I started to think, is that really my number? After they said my name, I couldn’t believe it.”
RELATED:
» Mexico’s top talent selected at CFL-LFA draft
» LFA athletes put through paces for CFL teams at combine
» O’Leary: CFL GMs, coaches see potential after first LFA combine
The rush of being the first-ever player chosen in the CFL and LFA’s partnership and having what has been a long and challenging dream acknowledged by a league over 4,000 kms away were emotions he couldn’t have prepared for. He made his way up to the stage, shook all of the hands he needed too and smiled for the photos.
Players chosen in Monday’s draft had their rights linked to the teams that chose them. They weren’t offered contracts but did sign a commitment letter. That’s where things got difficult for Cotera.
“I was out there signing the commitment letter and I stopped,” he said. “I was looking at the letter and the guy in charge said, to sign it. I said, ‘I’m not reading it, I’m shaking. I can’t write.’”
He eventually put pen to paper to confirm the deal.
“(Signing the letter) it really hit me. I’m very thankful for the organization of the Edmonton Eskimos for putting this trust in me. They won’t regret it.”
David Turner, the Esks’ new director of player personnel and Bobby Merritt, the team’s director of scouting, were on hand in Mexico City through the weekend in place of GM Brock Sunderland. Turner said he was impressed by Cotera throughout the combine on Sunday. Cotera had the top shuttle time in the combine, at 4.20 seconds.
“He was really a polished route runner, had good speed. He’s a guy that had really good concentration when he was looking at the ball, really working it in,” he said.
“He was probably top-two in hands and we really liked how he ran his routes. Those were the big things for us.
“The intangibles were the personality, the energy he brought all day. He was happy throughout the process. It was a long day but even at the end he was excited. Talking to him through the day he seemed to be a good person.
“We talked to him about moving up there (to Edmonton), and being a part of that process, he was excited about it. That’s the kind of energy you hope to gain from getting a player like Diego in this process.”
Last year, playing for Mayas in the LFA, Cotera had 26 catches for 519 yards and seven touchdowns. The five-foot-10, 189-pound receiver said he started his career with the Raptors in Naucalpan, just northwest of Mexico City, but didn’t start to have success until he was traded to Mayas.
“After they traded me to the Mayas I really started to enjoy the play,” Cotera said.
“I think with football, the more you enjoy it the more it gives to you. Last season was very good for me, I ended (fourth) in receiving yards and I’m looking forward to this season in the LFA.”
Diego Jair Viamontes Cotera shakes hands with CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie (LFA)
Cotera also impressed Turner and Merritt with his knowledge of the Canadian game. He said he’s been watching the CFL for a couple of years and was familiar with the Esks.
“I know Edmonton and their history,” he said. “They have the second-most Grey Cup wins and very good players.”
“He said he’d watched some games, he knew what it is,” Turner said.
Turner said that Cotera, along with their second-round pick, linebacker Daniel Carrete and their third-round pick, defensive back Jose Alfonsin Romero, were all smart kids and said that they needed to draft smart people to make the move to Canada work.
“If you talk to any of them, they’re smart kids sand that’s important. They’re going to come up, deal with culture shock, weather shock, all that stuff,” he said.
“You want smart kids, good character kids, hard workers. We said (on Sunday) night we really felt all three of them were that. On top of their skills on the field they were that.”
There are still details to iron out with the partnership. Part of the upcoming CBA negotiation between the league and the CFL Players Association will have to include how the Mexican players are designated and where they might fit in if they aren’t on an active roster. Teams will have to figure out if they’ll invite all three of their draft picks to rookie camps and/or training camps as well. BC and Winnipeg indicated to TSN’s Dave Naylor that they would bring all three of their picks up for camp, like they would any other new players.
“The directive we got from (Sunderland) was to come down here and find the best guys. By getting the No. 1 overall pick in every round I think we were able to do that,” Turner said.
“Each guy has intangibles that will help them get on our roster. Now how they get on our roster is up to them. They’re going to have to compete and figure out a spot for themselves.”
