Stock Assessment: Running backs and linebackers

Marshall Ferguson

CFL.ca

@TSN_Marsh

The CFL Draft is less than three weeks away, which means there isn’t a lot of time left for players to make their case to be among the first to be selected.

One of the most crucial moments in the evaluation period was the CFL Combine presented by New Era in Winnipeg back in March, when the prospects had a chance to showcase their athletic and football talents in front of scouts from every team.

CFL.ca’s Marshall Ferguson was also present at the CFL Combine to make his assessment about where these players stand in comparison to their peers. Below you’ll find the stock on some of the running backs and linebackers who should hear their name called on April 30.

RB MICHAEL CHRIS-IKE
DELAWARE STATE
STOCK: UP ⬆

Chris-Ike had the fastest 40-time in the CFL Combine (4.51 seconds) (Andrew Mahon/CFL.ca)

There was no more pleasant surprise in the 2024 CFL Combine for me than Michael Chris-Ike. Sure, he happens to hail from the same place I currently reside, and I might have stumbled upon him playing high school ball years ago at St. Thomas More BUT this has nothing to do with geography and previous exposure.

Chris-Ike handled himself like a true pro while posting some seriously daunting testing numbers at his height and weight. While there was a bit to be desired in the all important pass protection drills, that can and will be refined.

There might not be a Daniel Adeboboye type back in this draft who could get consistent carries in just a few short years, but Chris-Ike is unquestionably the lead dog in this positional group for me going somewhere in the late second or third round if I had to guess.

RB MATTHEW PETERSON
ALBERTA
STOCK: UP ⬆

With Bombers star Brady Oliveira in attendance for on-field activities, another thick, lower body built back hopped, skipped and bursted his way through drills with great balance and change of direction. Peterson feels like the next best chance behind Chris-Ike to stick in the CFL as a National back and have a real impact. His combine drove that home to me.

RB ANTHONY SOLES
QUEEN’S
STOCK: DOWN ⬇

I love the way Soles plays, battles, and is technically sound getting to correct shoulders and leveraging defenders’ body positioning against themselves to create an advantage. It’s obvious he has been well taught as a member of the Gaels football program, but testing just isn’t his thing. If the testing falls within a range of acceptability there’s no problem, but I’m not sure he can scrap and claw for every rep year over year and continue to make a living out of it. I’d love to see it, but that’s hard living in the CFL especially on special teams.

FB BRADLEY HLADIK
UBC
STOCK: STABLE

Quality player, family blood lines that are appreciated by everyone around the CFL as brother Ben continues to be the pristine picture of Canadians thriving in the big show and great technical skills. Hladik has a chance to have a long career as a long snapper and situational offensive player.

RB TANNER NELMES
MCGILL
STOCK: SLEEPER

In the spirit of Montreal running back Jeshrun Antwi having to make the CFL the tough way through lower combines, I always like to pick a back who I think could go the route less travelled and find success. This year that’s Nelmes who was featured in the Waterloo Invitational Combine and could quietly make a roster this year based on fit and ratio designations of the team who takes him.

RB MICHAEL HERZOG
HILLSDALE COLLEGE
STOCK: MYSTERY

He’s explosive, built, skilled and productive, but will size deficiencies be his eventual undoing? I have no idea if teams will forgo it all and believe, but one of the more varied opinions of any player revolved around Herzog in Winnipeg.

LB ETEVA MAUGA-CLEMENTS
NEBRASKA
STOCK: UP ⬆

I get it, he’s a global and all but I have to give some love to Mauga-Clements who made some great plays during practice in Winnipeg and played with a natural speed suggesting he’ll transition seamlessly to the CFL while posting testing numbers to match the helmet and pads section of events.

LB JOEL DUBLANKO
CINCINATTI
STOCK: UP ⬆

Dublanko impressed scouts in Winnipeg with his athletic numbers (Cameron Bartlett/CFL.ca)

He didn’t have to be there. He came, competed, tested well and left with everyone wondering just how high he’ll go. Exactly where he lands remains a mystery, but there is no question we’ll be talking about Dublanko in the first round on TSN on April 30.

Linebacker Class Doubters
STOCK: DOWN ⬇

This is a really solid class and there really isn’t a need or want to call anyone out for a rough combine process, put the Haterade away this year and enjoy the overall quality of this class.

UBC Engineers
STOCK: STABLE

Once in a while we get a positional group and school duo that are constantly compared when going through the draft process at the same time. Saskatchewan defensive lineman Riley Pickett (fifth round) and Nathan Cherry (first round) come to mind, or the Calgary Dinos dynamic brotherly receiving duo of Tyson and Jalen Philpot. This year we have two UBC linebackers (Ryan Baker, Mitchell Townsend) who both hail from the same high school and study engineering. They’re both good players and will both be drafted in the middle rounds following recent Thunderbirds backers Ben Hladik, Nic Cross and more.

LB OLIVIER MUEMBI
QUEEN’S
STOCK: SLEEPER

I really like the overall package that comes with Muembi. The size and length in combination with movement skills and flexible positioning experience all tells me that in a solid linebacker class he might be the one most discussed in five years.

LB NICK WIEBE
SASKATCHEWAN
STOCK: MYSTERY

There’s no doubting Wiebe’s ability or work ethic recovering from a late season knee injury, but where will a team invest in him? Could the Riders afford to spend a pick in the first three rounds on Wiebe and how desperate could they be to do so if interest heats up around him in the next two weeks?

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