First things first: It's Giovanni Aprile (Ah-pree-lay), not Johnny April. Get the fourth month of the year out of your mind when trying to pronounce his name.

Second, the Blue Bombers' third-round draft pick (16th overall in this year's CFL draft) is to be known around these parts as a safety and special teams player, not a receiver. Sure, the soon-to-be-23-year-old made his name catching passes with Queen's, collecting 594 yards and four touchdowns on 31 receptions with the Golden Gaels last season, but the Bombers have something else in mind for him.

Going from college to the pro game is hard enough. Try switching from offence to defence in the same move.

"How hard the (defensive backs) have it," Aprile said when asked what he took from his first workout on defence, as the Bombers put their rookies and first-year CFL players through the paces at Canad Inns Stadium Wednesday.

"I'm always used to going against them, so being in their position I really learned how much they have to be on pace and on track with what's going on."

Winnipeg hopes Aprile is a fast learner, since they see the physical 6-foot-2, 208-pounder as "a long-term solution at safety" and a dominating player on special teams. Aprile was a returner in college but with the Bombers he'll be tracking down players and creating space.

"We think he can do some of the things that some of the guys playing linebacker did on special teams," Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice said.

To help with the adjustment, LaPolice told reporters he was going to ask Aprile to do some research on Jerry Azumah, an All-American tailback LaPolice had when he was coaching at the University of New Hampshire. Azumah was a four-year starter in school but when Chicago took him in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL draft, they immediately worked him out at cornerback and on special teams. Azumah spent seven season with the Bears (1999-2005).

Aprile said the Bombers approached him about playing safety after the draft. Naturally, the CFL rookie was open to the idea and sought out his DB friends for advice and pointers on how to play the position in the weeks leading up to rookie camp.

The toughest part: judging the speed of receivers running up to the line before the snap.

"It's definitely insane," Aprile said. "I'm willing to do it... I hope it all works out."

PENCER LOCKED UP: Tyson Pencer, the Bombers' first-round pick (third overall) in the CFL draft earlier this month, finally became a member of the Blue and Gold Wednesday morning.

The 6-foot-8, 330-pound offensive lineman said some minor changes and incentives he was seeking in his contract held up his signing, which he was calling a done deal last week. But at the end of the day, Penver never had any doubt he would be in Winnipeg for rookie camp.

"There's just been some negotiating going on, little things here and there needed to be changed. But overall, no, there wasn't any doubt in my mind," Pencer said. "Signing that paper makes it official so I couldn't be more happy than that."

NEW ARM: Winnipeg-native and Manitoba Bisons quarterback Khaleal Williams was on the field, taking advantage of an initiative to help develop CIS quarterbacks at the CFL level. The CFL has been trying to get clubs to welcome Canadian pivots to training camp for the last two years, LaPolice said, but this is the first year all eight teams have participated.

LATE ARRIVALS: Thanks to travel woes, three players -- receivers Paul Hubbard and Victor James, plus defensive back Demond Washington -- were not at camp Wednesday. All are expected to arrive before the week is out.

Rookie camp continues this morning, starting at 10:30 a.m.

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @wazoowazny

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 31, 2012 C5