Christian Bender (CFL.ca)
MONTREAL — The Alouettes announced on Thursday that they have signed ten new players, including five of their selections from the 2023 CFL Draft and both of their selections in the 2023 Global Draft.
The Alouettes agreed to terms with fullback David Dallaire from the Université de Laval Rouge et Or. He was the team’s second round pick (13th overall) in 2023. The team also signed defensive back Maxym Lavallée, who was their eighth-round pick this year.
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Dallaire (six-foot-three, 217 pounds) helped his team hoist the Vanier Cup last fall, making four catches for 23 yards, as well as a fourth quarter touchdown in a 30-24 win over the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
The 23-year-old Saint-Georges, QC native was voted a RSEQ all-star in 2022 after scoring seven touchdowns, including five on the ground, during the regular season. He caught 18 passes for 279 yards, while adding 86 rushing yards on 22 carries.
Lavallée (five-foot-nine, 185 pounds) was voted to the RSEQ all-star team in 2022, finishing first on his team in tackles with 27 solo and 11 assisted. In 2018, the 24-year-old Gatineau native was named defensive rookie of the year.
The team also signed fellow 2023 draft picks Theodore Grant (Offensive line/Queen’s), Jacob Mason (Fullback/McMaster) and Shedler Fervious (Receiver/Saint Mary’s).
Alouettes ink their two players from the 2023 CFL Global Draft
The Montreal Alouettes signed Swedish defensive lineman Simon Sandberg who was their first pick (fifth overall) in the 2023 CFL Global Draft and Australian punter Rhys Byrns, their 14th overall pick in the second round.
Sandberg (six-foot-three, 295 pounds) received an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention in 2022 while suiting up for the Oregon State University Beavers, registering 17 tackles and two for losses in 13 games, (all starts). The Karlstad native also knocked down two passes.
In 40 games during his four years with the Beavers, the 26-year-old amassed 51 tackles, eight for losses, and a sack, on top of knocking down five passes and forcing one fumble. He did well in the CFL Combine, in Edmonton, this past March.
Byrns (six-foot, 191 pounds) was named to the All-Sun Belt’s first team during his last two seasons with the University of Louisana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns. He led the conference with a 46.3-yard average on punts, which was the 11th highest total in the country in 2021. 19 of his punts travelled 50 yards or more during that season.
Last year, he maintained a 43.4-yard average per punt. In five seasons at former Alouettes linebacker Kyries Hebert‘s alma mater, Byrns totalled 10,704 yards on 246 punts (43.5-yard average). He was also voted Second Team All-Sun Belt in 2019 and 2020.
The team also added National players Tysen-Otis Copeland, a defensive back who was drafted by the Alouettes last year and who played with the Université de Montreal, Alec Poirier, a linebacker from Université Laval and American Kordell Rodgers, a defensive back from Texas State University.
The team released Japanese running back Taku Lee and National offensive lineman Jakub Szott. National linebacker Chris Ackie also announced his retirement.
