May 13, 2019

Stamps ink eight from 2019 draft class

Johany Jutras/CFL.ca

CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders have signed eight members of their 2019 draft class, the team announced on Monday.

Now under contract with the Red and White are receiver Hergy Mayala (Connecticut, first round), defensive lineman Vincent Desjardins (Laval, second round), offensive lineman Zack Williams (Manitoba, third round), linebacker Fraser Sopik (Western, fourth round), offensive lineman Jaylan Guthrie (Guelph, fourth round), defensive back Nick Statz (Calgary, sixth round), linebacker Job Reinhart (Guelph, seventh round) and receiver Colton Hunchak (York, eighth round).

Here is more information on the selections:

Hergy Mayala
#1
Receiver
College: Connecticut
Height: 6.01
Weight: 206
Born: Oct. 21, 1995
Birthplace: Montreal, QC
Selected: 1st round – 8th overall

The Montreal native played four seasons at the University of Connecticut and in 43 games for the Huskies he had 113 catches for 1,352 yards and 12 touchdowns. In 2017, he led UConn with 43 receptions for 615 yards and seven scores including three 100-yard games. As a senior in 2018, Mayala had 40 catches for 361 yards and five touchdowns.

Vincent Desjardins
#92
Defensive lineman
College: Laval
Height: 6.01
Weight: 260
Born: Mar. 12, 1995
Birthplace: Quebec City, QC
Selected: 2nd round – 17th overall 

Desjardins was a Quebec conference all-star and first-team all-Canadian three consecutive years – 2016-18. In eight games for the Rouge et Or in 2018, he had 21 tackles including 13 tackles for loss and added 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. In 25 career games at Laval, the Quebec City native accumulated 51 tackles including 25 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Zack Williams
#67
Offensive lineman
College: Manitoba
Height: 6.05
Weight: 318
Born: Mar. 2, 1997
Birthplace: Winnipeg, MB
Selected: 3rd round – 28th overall

Williams was a Canada West all-star in 2018 as he helped Manitoba accumulate 1,345 rushing yards – just 21 yards shy of the conference lead – and an average of 467.3 yards of total offence per game. It was the Winnipeg product’s fourth season at Manitoba after a stint with the Winnipeg Rifles juniors.

Fraser Sopik
#47
Linebacker
College: Western
Height: 5.11
Weight: 194
Born: Apr. 3, 1997
Birthplace: Toronto, ON
Selected: 4th round – 31st overall

Sopik was the Ontario University Athletics’ first-team all-star at SAM linebacker after recording 38 tackles, one sack and one interception in eight games for the Mustangs in 2018. In 26 career games at Western, Sopik accumulated 107.5 tackles including 11 tackles for loss, one sack, four forced fumbled, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions.

Jaylan Guthrie
#65
Offensive Lineman
College: Guelph
Height: 6.04
Weight: 303
Born: Aug. 17, 1994
Birthplace: Pickering, ON
Selected: 4th round – 37th overall 

Guthrie did not see action in 2018 because of a shoulder injury but previously played three seasons at Guelph. He completed 29 reps at 225 lbs. during the bench press at the Ontario regional combine.

Nick Statz
#2
Defensive back
College: Calgary
Height: 5.10
Weight: 175
Born: May 9, 1996
Birthplace: Calgary, AB
Selected: 6th round – 55th overall

 An alumnus of Calgary’s Notre Dame High School, Statz played a total of 10 games for the Dinos in 2018 and had 38 tackles including two tackles for loss, one sack and eight pass breakups. In 33 total games at the U of C, he had 95 tackles and five interceptions including one interception that he returned for a touchdown.

Job Reinhart
#21
Linebacker
College: Guelph
Height: 5.10
Weight: 228
Born: May 28, 1996
Birthplace: Guelph, ON
Selected: 7th round – 64th overall 

Reinhart was Guelph’s second-leading tackler in 2018 with 44.5 stops. He also had one sack and two interceptions. In 31 career games over four seasons for the Gryphons, the Guelph native had 86 tackles including six tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three interceptions and one forced fumble.

Colton Hunchak
#80
Reciever
College: York
Height: 5.10
Weight: 190
Born: Sept. 25, 1997
Birthplace: Calgary, AB
Selected: 8th round – 73rd overall

The Calgarian was a two-time second-team Ontario University Athletics all-star at York. In 2018, the Notre Dame High School alum finished fourth in the OUA with 58 receptions. He had 610 receiving yards and six touchdown catches. He was limited to three games in 2017 due to injury but in 2016 he earned second-team conference honours after making 43 catches for 588 yards and five touchdowns.