Mathieu Bélanger/Laval
EDMONTON — It has taken some time but it seems as though the Edmonton Eskimos are finally going to see the top-rated prospect in the 2019 Draft as they have agreed to terms with defender Mathieu Betts. This, according to Farhan Lalji of TSN.
Betts ranked no. 1 on last year’s Central Scouting Bureau and was drafted third overall by the Eskimos in last May’s CFL Draft. The standout Laval linebacker and defensive end signed a contract with the NFL’s Chicago Bears shortly thereafter but was released last week during the league’s final cutdown period.
Hearing OLB/DE Matthieu Betts has agreed to terms with the #Eskimos. Was the top rated player in 2019 #CFLDraft & taken 3rd overall. Recently cut by #Bears. @CFLonTSN @TSN_Sports @SportsCentre @TSN1260 pic.twitter.com/vHmHtAeEY9
— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) September 8, 2019
The risk of drafting an NFL-bound lineman that high in the draft seems to have been worth the wait and back in May, both GM Brock Sunderland and Head Coach Jason Maas knew the upside was too high to ignore.
“He was the number one guy on our board,” said Maas following the draft. “All the film study we did on him — he’s powerful, he’s speed to power, he gets around the edge, he’s athletic. There are a lot of special qualities about him. I don’t think there’s anything not to like about the guy.”
“The first thing is his quickness off the ball,” echoed Sunderland, who oversaw his third draft as the Eskimos’ general manager. “He wins a lot of matchups right off the snap. He’s got a high, high motor. He’s relentless and he’s got a skill-set and a repertoire of a pass rush moves.”
