Blue go for the intangibles

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This article was published 03/05/2009 (6243 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

IT’S the kind of stuff that rarely shows up on the game film, in the endless physical testing conducted by CFL teams or at the scouting com­bine.

But there are common characteris­tics of the four newest members of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers selected in Saturday’s Can­adian Draft and they were sought out and chased after by the new regime calling the shots in the an­nual selection of homegrown col­lege talent: intelli­gence, leadership, adaptability and, of course, talent.

"I truly believe that character and intelligence sometimes outweigh abil­ity — and I’m not saying that these guys don’t have ability," said head coach Mike Kelly after the draft.

"(Director of player personnel) John Murphy and I have always talked about the quality of the individual.

When the guys who were in the Florida (free agent) camp come up here and you ask them, they’ll tell you they felt like they were in training camp and were actually building something. It’s because of the type of people they are, they really jelled together because they were of like mindset and quality of person.

"That really helps when you’re try­ing to put a team together."

The Bombers selected O-linemen with their first two picks in UBC’s Mike Morris and Adam Bestard of Wil­frid Laurier. Both scored well on the intelligence test conducted at the draft combine in the spring, both already have large frames and are projected to possibly start at two or three positions on the line.

The third draft choice, fullback Peter Quinney of Laurier, was a team captain, a class valedictorian in high school and has special-teams demon written all over him. Ditto for Thaine Carter, another team captain who was taken in the sixth round after a spec­tacular college career in which he was named the top defensive player in the country last year at Queen’s.

And because the Bombers entered the draft putting a huge emphasis on the intelligence-leadership-ability quotients, they are thrilled with their selections on Saturday, despite not hav­ing picks in the first or second rounds.

All four of the club’s picks were in the top 20 players they had ranked prior to the draft.

Morris, the Bombers’ first pick, was still giddy when interviewed a good hour after first being selected. Coinci­dentally, he was not one of the players with which the Bombers conducted one-on-one interviews at the combine in Toronto in March.

"I was just logging onto the Inter­net and I got a call from an unknown number and I was like, ‘Oh, I hope this is what I think it is.’ And sure enough it was," said Morris from Surrey, B.C.

"It was surreal, actually. I’m honestly just humbled. I was just surprised that I went in the third round and I was really excited when I got a call. I’m still trying to soak it all in… it’s un­believable.

I’m very proud, very happy to be selected.

"(Winnipeg is) getting a natural leader. A confident player willing to learn, listen to the vets and take it all in. I’m a team player."

Alberta’s Simeon Rottier, an offen­sive tackle, was selected first overall by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats with Laval D-lineman étienne Légaré going second overall to the Toronto Argo­nauts. The B.C. Lions, courtesy a trade with the Ticats, moved up to the third spot to draft Bishop’s running back Jamall Lee (who signed this week with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers) and then selected linebacker James Yurichuk, also of Bishop’s, fourth overall and Acadia slotback Matt Carter fifth. The Ticats grabbed St. Mary’s slotback/ fullback Darcy Brown sixth overall with the Montreal Alouettes selecting University of Calgary O-lineman Dylan Steenbergen in the seventh spot. The Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders completed the first round by choosing Central Michigan defen­sive back Eric Fraser eighth overall.

Just one University of Manitoba Bison was drafted, with the Montreal Alouettes, to the surprise of many, tak­ing O-lineman Matt Singer — a player who had not been rated in the Top 20 by most teams — in the second round, 15th overall. That ties the second-high­est selection of an offensive lineman in the Bison program’s history, following Randy Ambroise being selected second overall by Calgary in 1985 and Darryl Conrad picked 15th by Montreal in 2007. The Bisons have now accounted for the most players drafted in the 2000s with 26, three more than Laval.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

 

 

Blue Bomber 2009 draft class

A look at the four Bomber draft picks selected in Saturday’s Canadian Draft:

1. Mike Morris Selected: third round, 19th overall.

Position: OL. Ht.: 6-4; Wt.: 306. Born: Sept. 10, 1985.

School: University of British Colum­bia.

Hometown: Surrey, B.C.

The skinny: Has started for the T-Birds for three years and considered UBC’s O-line anchor… Played in CIS East-West Bowl in 2008… Didn’t start playing until he was 17… Inspired to play by Lions lineman Angus Reid and his O­line coach Bob Beveridge.

Bomber brass says: "He’s a smart kid who had a real high score on the Wonderlic (in­telligence test) and did really well on both the power testing and the agility and quick­ness. We see him as a guy who could come in at right guard, even though he played left guard at UBC, but with his body type and because he’s intelligent we could work in at centre over the next few years. He does have a year (of eli­gibility) to go back, but we expect him to contend to be here with us this year." — Bomber director of player personnel John Murphy

2. Adam Bestard Selected: fourth round, 27th overall.

Position: OL. Ht.: 6-5; Wt.: 290. Born:

Nov. 30, 1986.

School: Wilfrid Laurier Univer­sity.

Hometown:

Sarnia, Ont.

The skinny:

Played in all 10 games last year and had shoul­der surgery after the sea­son. Has a clean bill of health for camp… Played in the CIS East­West Bowl in ’08.

Bomber brass says: "He’s a great ath­lete. He was injured at the combine but he came down and we got his physical numbers. He’s shown the ability that maybe if he puts on a little weight he could play tackle — that’s the kind of athlete he is." — Bomber director of Canadian scouting Bob Dyce

3. Peter Quinney Selected: fifth round, 35th overall.

Position: FB.

Ht.: 5-11; Wt.:

224. Born: June 1, 1986.

School: Wilfrid Laurier Univer­sity.

Hometown:

Belleville, Ont.

The skinny:

Played on the 2005 Vanier Cup championship side… A team captain the last two years and winner of Laurier’s Im­pact Player of the Year award in 2008…

Class valedictorian in high school.

Bomber brass says: "He knows the transition to the CFL game is going to be special teams, blocking and doing all the little things. He’s the type of kid who knows what the role is." — Murphy

4. Thaine Carter Selected: sixth round, 45th overall.

Position: LB. Ht.: 5-11; Wt. 214. Born:

May 19, 1987.

School: Queen’s. Hometown: Na­naimo,

B.C.

The skinny:

The winner of the President’s Trophy as top defensive player (non-lineman) in the CIS…

CIS and OUA all-star; a team captain, fin­ished last year with 44 tackles, 5 1/2 tackles for losses, three sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Bomber brass says: "He was the best-dressed guy at the combine, so we know he’s got his suit ready for road trips. He now has something to prove: If you get a guy in the sixth round who has the accolades he does… he is now coming here with a rather large chip on his shoulder." — Murphy — Tait