Anton Mak/York University
TORONTO — The last of three regional combines has arrived and prospects will eye punching their ticket to the CFL Combine presented by New Era, as the Ontario Regional Combine gets underway in Toronto on Thursday.
Prospects will take the field in front of scouts, coaches and general managers, all hoping to boost their stock ahead of the 2019 CFL Draft.
Thursday’s showing ends this year’s regional combine circuit, the first two occurring in Edmonton and Montreal respectively.
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Photo: Kha Vo/Waterloo Athletics
York University’s Jesse Amankwaa is among can’t-miss prospects on Thursday as the running back brings an impressive resume that includes winning the OUA’s Rookie of the Year award in 2015.
Scouts and fans alike will keep an eye on Waterloo defensive back Lautaro Frecha as the six-foot-one, 195-pounder has enjoyed an impressive career with the Warriors.
The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks are well represented a the Ontario Regional Combine with eight members of the team slated to be in attendance.
Last year, 13 players from regional combines were extended an invitation to the CFL combine, 12 of those being selected in the 2018 CFL Draft. Five of those 12 drafted came from the Ontario Regional Combine, including defensive backs Jordan Beaulieu and Jacob Firlotte, linebackers Eric Mezzalira and Paul Kozachuk and receiver Harry McMaster.
McMaster (seventh round) and Beaulieu (third round) were selected by the Edmonton Eskimos, Mezzalira (second round) was taken by the Calgary Stampeders, Firlotte (seventh round) was chosen by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Montreal Alouettes drafted Kozachuk (sixth round).
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Testing starts at 9:00 a.m. ET with height and weight, hand and arm measurements, video shot, vertical jump and the bench press. At 11:00 a.m., prospects will take part in the 40-yard dash as well as the broad jump, short shuttle and 3-cone drill.
After positional drills and one-on-ones at 1:30 p.m, the final announcement of those invited to the national combine is expected as approximately 3:50 p.m.
2019 is the seventh year in a row that the CFL will host regional combines and the fifth year it will host a trio of them.
At the CFL National Combine presented by New Era, players will undergo medical examinations; performance, strength and speed tests; on-field football drills; and team interviews over a span of two days in front of coaches, scouts and general managers.
By the numbers:
– Of the 47 players currently on the Ontario Regional Combine roster, 45 are draft eligible.
– The breakdown of the positions is fairly split with 10 defensive backs leading the way. (Full breakdown: 8 RB, 8 DL, 7 OL, 6 WR, 4 LB, 3 QB, 1 K)
– 19 schools/programs will be represented, led by the eight from Wilfrid Laurier. The full breakdown is as follows: Guelph (7), Western (5), York (4), Windsor (3), Toronto (3), Okanagan Sun (2), Queen’s (2), Waterloo (2), McMaster (2), Angelo State (1), Tusculum College (1), Manitoba (1), Grand Valley State (1), Virginia (1), London Beefeaters (1), GTA Grizzlies (1), Concordia (1), Carleton (1).
