Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced on Wednesday the club has signed the two of their 2019 CFL Draft selections – offensive lineman Drew Desjarlais and receiver Malik Richards.
The team also announced on Monday that they have signed four other 2019 CFL Draft selections, defensive lineman Connor Griffiths, offensive lineman Asotui Eli, running back Brady Oliveira and defensive back Kerfalla Exumé.
All six draft picks will be present at Bombers rookie camp which gets underway on Wednesday.
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Desjarlais (6-2, 307, Windsor, April 24, 1997 in Belle River, ON) was selected fourth overall. He spent four seasons at Windsor, playing and starting 27 games over that time at both right and left guard. He played for the West Team in the U SPORTS East-West Bowl last season and was named an OUA second-team all-star.
Richards (6-1, 195, Mount Allison University, in Brampton, ON) was selected 43rd overall. He appeared in 24 games over four seasons with the Mounties. In 2018, Richards caught 48 passes for 531 yards and three touchdowns, adding 18 rushes for 195 yards and two touchdowns on his way to being named an AUS all-star. Richards also played for the East Team in the 2018 U SPORTS East-West Bowl.
Griffiths (6-4, 290, UBC, July 6, 1997 in Langley, BC) was selected 25th overall in the 2019 CFL Draft. He played 42 games with the Thunderbirds, recording 48 tackles and six sacks over four seasons. Griffiths was named a Canada West All Star in his senior year and was named to the 2018 East-West Bowl after amassing 17.5 total tackles and two sacks, adding another 5.5 tackles and a sack in two playoff games. Griffiths was also named an All-Canadian in 2017.
Eli (6-4, 315, University of Hawai’i, in Richmond, British Columbia) was selected 34th overall in the 2019 CFL Draft. He appeared in 36 games over three seasons with the Rainbow Warriors. A redshirt junior in 2018, Eli was a key member of the line that helped UH to its best rushing average (168.2) in 22 years in 2017 and recorded 22 knockdowns on the season. Eli was named to the pre-season Rimington Award watch list for the second straight year in 2017 and was also named the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Watch List prior to the season.
Oliveira (5-10, 228, North Dakota, August 15, 1997 in Winnipeg, MB) was selected 14th overall in the 2019 CFL Draft. He played 42 games at North Dakota, recording 2,822 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns over four seasons. He earned All-Big-Sky Honours in 2016 and 2017, and was a Jon Cornish Award Finalist in 2019, given to the most outstanding Canadian player in collegiate football. His best season came in his final one at UND, recording 980 rushing yards on 161 attempts, with eight touchdowns in just 11 games.
Exumé (5-11, 188, University of Montreal, February 24, 1994 in Montreal, QC) was selected 70th overall in the 2019 CFL Draft. He played in 22 games over four seasons with the Carabins. In 2018, he registered 11 tackles, two pass breakups and two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown
