Jason Halstead/CFL.ca
TORONTO — Seven offensive linemen were picked in the first round of the 2018 CFL Draft on Thursday night, setting a new draft record.
Trey Rutherford set off a run of five straight linemen picked, with the Als getting the University of Connecticut big man with the second overall pick. The first round concluded with the Argos taking Bowling Green’s Ryan Hunter ninth overall.
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Thursday’s first round came in stark contrast to a year ago, when only two offensive linemen were picked in the first nine picks. The first offensive lineman didn’t go off the board until eighth overall, something that hadn’t previously happened since before 2003.
But this time around, general managers across the Canadian Football League weren’t willing to risk missing out on the opportunity to bolster their offensive line.
Offensive linemen are usually the staple of the CFL Draft. Since 2003, 40 per cent of players picked in the first round are on the O-line, with the position making up a quarter of all players selected over that span.
Seventeen offensive linemen have been selected in each of the last two drafts, tying for the second-highest total in the last 15 years.
