Shawn Burke could have loads of choices within the CFL draft Tuesday.
The Ottawa Redblacks’ basic supervisor owns 4 of the primary 17 picks, together with the primary and tenth choices.
Burke might improve his Canadian expertise now, and for the long run, with any of the seven blue-chip Canucks who had been both chosen in final week’s NFL draft or signed as undrafted free brokers afterward.
Burke might additionally package deal picks to both transfer up within the draft or commerce for a longtime veteran. Ottawa (4-14) completed fourth within the East Division in 2022 to overlook the CFL playoffs for a 3rd straight 12 months.
“I feel it provides you choices and adaptability,” Burke mentioned. “You have the power at No. 1 to take the participant you need should you preserve that choose.
“We have numerous flexibility to do no matter we would like within the draft. But I all the time say it takes two events to make a deal occur so we’ll see what involves us and go from there.”
While Burke stays open to entertaining gives for the highest choose, he is not against protecting it.
“I’d say we have now an open thoughts however at a sure time you zero in on what you need to do,” Burke mentioned. “I feel we’re within the strategy of zeroing in.
“I would not say we would not pay attention to groups proper now. But on the identical time, I’m a agency believer that should you’re selecting a participant you count on to be right here this 12 months that you’ve got a sure stage of dedication earlier than you draft somebody at No. 1.”
Alouettes, Elks additionally excessive up
Montreal and Edmonton will even have draft capital Tuesday.
Alouettes GM Danny Maciocia has two first-round picks (fifth, seventh total) and one other within the second (No. 13). Edmonton GM/head coach Chris Jones owns 4 choices inside the first 23 (one first, one second, two third).
Edmonton will choose second total with Saskatchewan and Calgary following. Hamilton is at No. 6 with Winnipeg and B.C. finishing the primary spherical (eighth, 9 respectively).
Toronto’s first choice will come within the second spherical (sixteenth total). The Grey Cup-champion Argonauts surrendered the ninth total choose to the Lions in February for Canadian linebacker Jordan Williams.
The CFL world draft goes Tuesday afternoon.
NFL draft set Canadian report
The CFL draft comes after a report 5 Canadians went in final week’s NFL draft. They embrace: offensive linemen Matthew Bergeron, of Victoriaville, Que, (second spherical, Atlanta) and Sidy Sow, of Bromont, Que. (fourth spherical, New England); security Sydney Brown, of London, Ont. (third spherical, Philadelphia) and his twin brother, working again Chase Brown (fifth spherical, Cincinnati); and defensive lineman Tavius Robinson, of Guelph, Ont. (fourth spherical, Baltimore).
Receiver Jared Wayne of Peterborough, Ont., (Houston) and defensive again Jonathan Sutherland of Ottawa (Seattle) each signed as undrafted free brokers.
Bergeron, the Browns, Robinson, Sow and Wayne held the highest six spots on the CFL scouting bureau’s top-20 draft prospects checklist. Sutherland was ranked eighth.
“I feel with the 5 drafted gamers, it was anticipated,” Burke mentioned. “We clearly grade these guys too . . . we did not assume any would get to the sixth spherical.
“I feel it [five NFL draftees, two undrafted free agents signed] simply provides us extra info, which is all you’ll be able to ask for round draft time. You simply need to acquire as a lot info as attainable to make the most effective resolution on your group.”
Celebration of Canadian soccer
Burke mentioned what occurred within the NFL draft displays positively on the state of soccer in Canada.
“It ought to be a celebration of how far Canadian soccer has come,” Burke mentioned. “We owe numerous credit score to minor coaches who’re creating these gamers, the sources of academies in our nation that assist give these athletes this chance on the best stage attainable.”
Victoria’s Dontae Bull, a six-foot-seven, 320-pound offensive lineman at Fresno State, was ranked seventh by the CFL scouting bureau. Edmonton’s Lwal Uguak, a TCU defensive lineman, and Montreal’s Francis Bemiy, a defensive lineman at Southern Utah, had been ninth and tenth, respectively.
Montreal Carabins linebacker Michael Brodrique, of Saint-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Que., was the highest Canadian college participant at No. 11. The six-foot-three, 230-pound Brodrique had 32 tackles (4.5 for loss), 3.5 sacks and an interception in seven video games after registering six sacks in 2021.
Bull began seven video games at proper sort out earlier than sustaining a season-ending damaged leg Oct. 29 after beginning 11-of-13 video games in 2021. Burke mentioned Bull is on Ottawa’s radar.
“You’d must assume so, yeah,” he mentioned. “He’s clearly a mountain of a person.
“I feel he has sturdy arms that may clamp down on guys and he can play a bodily model of soccer. But on the identical time . . . he has very gentle toes. I feel he has the power to presumably compete at each sort out and guard on this league.”
The six-foot-five, 271-pound Uguak performed in 14 of TCU’s 15 video games, recording 10 tackles. After defeating Michigan 51-45 within the Fiesta Bowl, the Horned Frogs misplaced 65-7 to Georgia within the NCAA championship sport.
Burke additionally likes Uguak’s versatility.
“I imagine he can play inside and outside on the defensive position,” Burke mentioned. “He’s somebody who loves soccer, loves the method, it is essential to him.
“I feel he has a vibrant future on this league.”
