Andrew Mahon/CFL.ca
The CFL Combine presented by New Era is in the past and it’s time for stock assessments. We’ll get started in the trenches, as we break down the offensive and defensive linemen that are headed to the CFL Draft on April 30.
General managers, coaches and scouts from across the league went to Winnipeg to analyze all players and now it’s time to start making decisions with just under a month left to finalize their draft boards. Let’s get into who helped their case and who may have left something to be desired and how that might impact teams’ decisions ahead of the CFL Draft.
RELATED
» CFL reveals the 2024 CFL Draft and Global Draft order
» We Asked: What should the Elks do with the No. 1 pick?
» Before They Were Stars: CFL teams share past scouting reports
» Queen’s Ryan Berta eager to begin football career
OL UBC BIG MEN
UBC
STOCK: UP ⬆
There’s no secret in this draft that Giovanni Manu and Theo Benedet were going to be highly sought after, but a stunning pro day performance for both has only boosted their stock further north as they gain more and more traction through the winter evaluation phase down south.
LENGTH
STOCK: UP ⬆
When it comes to length, this draft will never come up short at various positions but especially not on the offensive line where the percentiles in arm length are stunning for Buffalo’s Gabe Wallace (89th), Illinois’ Isaiah Adams (89th), Windsor’s George Una (96th), Howard’s Anim Dankwah (97th) and Calgary’s John Bosse (99th).
OL DANIEL SHIN
ALBERTA
STOCK: DOWN ⬇
I hate this for Shin who has stellar tape and does things the right way from snap to whistle but I’m just not sure how he’s going to overcome the natural percentile limitations of height (31st), weight (18th) and arm length (8th).
OL PATRICK LAVOIE
CARLETON
STOCK: DOWN ⬇
Lavoie didn’t have a terrible combine, but seeing most of the best draft eligible players in one place is always incredible because there is a real time separation of the crop. Some jump up, take every rep with the same intensity and find ways to win no matter what. Those who don’t often get pushed off to the side. Lavoie will get drafted and hopefully have a great CFL experience, but the combine didn’t help much.
OL NATHANIEL DUMOULIN-DUGUAY
LAVAL
STOCK: STABLE
As always, Laval makes pro ready lineman capable of impressing without having to say much of anything. Dumoulin-Duguay was the top testing pass blocker and was supremely smooth all weekend in pads.
OL RYAN BERTA
QUEEN’S
STOCK: SLEEPER
Bench press champion, CFL ready experience, the right frame to have a long and successful career on the interior. He won’t get prioritized but whoever gets Berta will be better off for it.
OL JOHN BOSSE
CALGARY
STOCK: MYSTERY
The size, the length, the above expected bench and movement skills considering those physical measurements were challenged greatly by his frame. The question now becomes what is Bosse as a true CFL pro. Someone will jump at the chance to find out, but his stock is a mystery depending on who you talk to.
DL LAURIER/WATERLOO
STOCK: UP ⬆
Waterloo’s Tyson Hergott and Laurier’s Luke Brubacher did exactly what I expected at the combine. Test well, play hard and carry themselves in a way that can only push their interest level forward to new heights.
DL IFENNA ONYEKA
CARLETON
STOCK: UP ⬆
While Waterloo and Laurier got much of the defensive line love from me all combine, Onyeka quietly had the third best DL combine score (81.47) and was one of just six national combine participants to cross the 80th percentile threshold in athleticism. Stock up.
DL SCOTT MURRAY
GUELPH
STOCK: DOWN ⬇
Murray battled hard against the monster tackles of CFL Combine 2024 in Winnipeg, but he had to every rep because of his six-foot, 227-pound frame. I was surprised to not see him worked in more as a hybrid as we’ve seen with similar body types at previous combines but his fit will be up in the air to many despite his natural change of direction and burst abilities.
DL SAMUEL OBIANG
TOWSON
STOCK: DOWN ⬇
The underwear Olympics are not for the big boys, and Obiang did have some moments of real shine in individual and even the odd team rep, but he was the lowest ranked defensive line in combine score even without running. His tape will have to be the lead selling feature and that’s okay if it holds up beyond any shadow of a doubt.
DL DANIEL OKPOKO
SAN DIEGO STATE
STOCK: STABLE
Big, strong, moves well and looks like a 5-10 year CFL pro. Sign me up alongside all nine teams.
DL MITCHELL PRICE
MCMASTER
STOCK: SLEEPER
Many believed Price should’ve been Winnipeg bound but landed in Waterloo at the invitational combine where his interior abilities were on full display. A mid to late round pick in my estimation. The name won’t get much attention but the game in camp will.
DL MICAH ROANE
SOUTH DAKOTA
STOCK: MYSTERY
A late addition to the process who posted very middle of the pack testing numbers at his pro day, teams will do their homework on Roane but I have a feeling the grade and round allocation will be almost as varied as any player in the draft.
