Bombers draft DB Ford out of Waterloo, acquire Canadian D-lineman

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This article was published 03/05/2022 (1562 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It wasn’t a groundbreaking evening for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but for the defending Grey Cup champs, Tuesday’s Canadian Football League draft provided some notable intrigue.

The Bombers got the ball rolling earlier in the day, shipping their first- and second-round picks — 9th and 18th overall, respectively — to Montreal in exchange for the Alouettes’ second-round selection, at No. 13, and Canadian defensive lineman Cameron Lawson. Lawson had been on Winnipeg’s radar in 2020, but the 23-year-old was selected by Montreal with the 16th overall pick in the second round.

Lawson — a native of Caledon, Ont., and a standout at Queen’s University, where he was named the Ontario University Association (OUA) lineman of the year in 2019 — played four games for the Alouettes in 2021 but didn’t register a statistic. He will be used as a depth piece behind veteran defensive tackle Jake Thomas, who is expected to be one of Winnipeg’s seven Canadian starters.

At No. 13, the Bombers selected with their first pick of the night defensive back Tyrell Ford out of Waterloo.

Ford was ranked ninth in CFL central scouting and was believed by many to be a first-round talent. His twin brother, Tre, a quarterback at Waterloo, was chosen by the Edmonton Elks with the 8th pick.

Tyrell Ford is a three-time OUA all-star. In five games with Waterloo in 2021, he recorded 12.5 tackles and one interception. He also ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the national combine, registering a time of 4.42 seconds.

“He’s an absolutely phenomenal athlete,” Duane Ford, a CFL draft expert for TSN, said of the young DB. “Not just as a defensive back, where he was an absolute shutdown guy at corner to the point people didn’t test him, but dominant as a return guy as well. Some people may try to project him as a free safety — a typical Canadian position — but the fact is a lot of people see a guy who can be not just a corner but a very good corner in the Canadian Football League.”

It’s unclear where Ford will fit into Winnipeg’s secondary as it’s currently constructed; the Bombers employ six Americans, including at strong-side linebacker. But Ford will be at least a year from carving out notable playing time on a Bombers defence, a unit that is the best in the CFL.

Winnipeg was without a third-round pick after trading it to the B.C. Lions in exchange for kicker Sergio Castillo. Castillo, who was the unofficial MVP of the Grey Cup last December after going a perfect five-for-five on field goals in a 33-25 overtime win over Hamilton, has since signed with Edmonton.

The Bombers went local in the fourth round, selecting University of Manitoba defensive lineman Cole Adamson. Adamson, who stands 6-5 and weighs 280 pounds, is a Winnipeg native recruited out of Oak Park high school and will fight for a spot with special teams with the Blue and Gold.

In the fifth round, Winnipeg used the 47th overall pick to add another defensive back, selecting Chris Ciguineau out of the University of Ottawa. One round later, the Bombers plucked another D-lineman, Jeremy Kapelanski out of the University of Guelph.

The Bombers also picked defensive back Cedrick Lavigne from Carleton at 65th overall, and Queen’s fullback Konner Burtenshaw 74th overall.

The CFL global draft took place early Tuesday, with the Bombers selecting three players, including a pair of Australian punters.

Punter Tom Hackett went sixth overall, with fellow kicker Michael Steep-Dalton picked with the sixth selection in the third. Winnipeg chose defensive back Souleymane Karamoko out of France in the second round.

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton