WANTED: A few good Canadians for the Bombers

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This article was published 01/05/2010 (5985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There is a future hall of famer on the roster in Doug Brown. There is the emerging star that is Brendon LaBatte and capable starters like Ian Logan, Brock Ralph, Obby Khan and Steve Morley.

But when Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice studies his team’s Canadian content in advance of Sunday’s draft, he continually comes to the same conclusion: There is homegrown talent there, just not nearly enough of it. And that’s simply the byproduct of trading away 23 draft picks including eight first- and second-rounders since 2000.

"We need to just get depth, more than anything," the Bomber boss said this week. "We’ve only got three picks this year, and after the draft you can sign two more players (as Canadian development free agents). Hopefully, we can get five positions to help us at a number of positions across the board. I would say there isn’t a place on our roster where we don’t need depth. Maybe at free safety we have some depth with our Canadians, but everywhere else we could use more help.

"Hopefully, next year we’ll have all six of our picks or more."

The Bombers will pick sixth overall in the draft and then 29th and 45th, but it’s hardly a given they’ll get a player who can develop into a regular. Of their last 10 first-round draft picks, only one LaBatte actually became a starter for the team. Between 1956 and 2008 (not including last year’s picks), the franchise has made 332 draft choices, with only 111 of them suiting up for even a single game for the Bombers.

Oh, and one more thing: In the 50 drafts the Bombers have participated in since ’56, there have been nine classes in which not one player dressed for even one game with the team (1956 through 1959, 1964, 1966, 1972, 2002 and 2007). Those nine draft sessions included 38 total picks that completely flushed.

And so, while LaPolice & Co. have spent hours and hours preparing for the draft since coming aboard this winter and covet picks like they are golden, they’ll also listen to anybody and everybody who may call with a possible deal providing it’s for more Canucks.

"We will listen to people who are interested in trading draft picks for Canadians, or vice versa," LaPolice said. "I mean, if we could give up a sixth pick for a guy we think could play right now, that’s something we’d think about. Where you get in trouble as an organization is when you continually give up Canadian draft picks for American players. We should be able to find American talent.

"Whatever happens, I will tell you this: We’re very well prepared for this draft."

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

 

 

CFL SCOUTING BUREAU’S TOP 10 

1. Shomari Williams, LB, Queen’s

2. John Bender, OL, Nevada

3. Cory Greenwood, LB, Concordia

4. Danny Watkins, OL, Baylor

5. Joe Eppele, OL, Washington State

6. Rob Maver, K, Guelph

7. Brian Bulcke, DL, Stanford

8. Taurean Allen, DB Wilfrid Laurier

9. Eddie Steele, DT, Manitoba

10. Shawn Gore, WR, Bishop’s

 

X FACTORS

Draft prospects who are getting a look-see in the NFL:

JOEL REINDERS, OL, WATERLOO: First-round prospect has signed with Cleveland.

KRISTIAN MATTE, OL, CONCORDIA: Signed with the Houston Texans.

SHAWN GORE, WR, BISHOP’S: Attending mini-camp with Green Bay Packers.

JORDAN SISCO, WR, REGINA: At Indianapolis Colts mini-camp.

CHIMA IHEKWOABA, DL, WILFRID LAURIER: Getting a look at Detroit Lions mini-camp.

STEVEN TURNER, WR, BISHOP’S: At Chicago Bears mini-camp.

 

OTHER:

DANNY WATKINS, OL, BAYLOR: Some say he’s the best player in the draft, but he’s going back to school and will likely be plucked next year in the NFL draft.

JOHN BENDER, OL, NEVADA: Same deal as Watkins NFL draft prospect in 2011.

The Bombers take on players who have signed or are drawing interest down south:

"Some of these guys are signed to contracts where they’re going to go to NFL training camps. And some of these guys… sometimes you could not take these players and they get released in August and you’ve lost out on a really good football player. The danger is being careful about players like Nick Kaczur, now with New England. Toronto took a chance in the second round on him a few years back and they’ll never see him." LaPolice.

 

OFFENSIVE LINE

Returning Canadians: Brendon LaBatte, Ryan Donnelly, Obby Khan, Luke Fritz, Steve Morley.

Coming aboard: Derek Armstrong (acquired from Calgary), Mike Morris (’09 draft pick), Adam Bestard (’09 pick), John Hashem, Chris Kowalczuk.

Tait says: Every team wants Canadian depth in the trenches and the Bombers are no different. Worth noting is Fritz and Donnelly are 31 and Khan turns 30 this season. There is potentially decent help here in Armstrong, Morris and Bestard, but don’t be surprised if the Bombers take a hog with one of their three picks.

TSN draft analyst Duane Forde’s top 3: Tackles: 1. Danny Watkins, Baylor; 2. Joel Reinders, Waterloo; 3. Joe Eppele, Washington. Guards: 1. John Bender, Nevada; 2. J’Michael Dean, Michigan State; 3. Quinn McCaughan, Calgary. Centres: 1. Justin Glover, McMaster; 2. Bart Archdekin, Minot State; 3. Paul Reinlein, McGill.

 

RECEIVERS

RETURNING CANADIANS: Brock Ralph, Aaron Hargreaves, Jabari Arthur.

COMING ABOARD: Joshua Svec, Scott McHenry.

TAIT SAYS: The roster is too thin here, especially if the Bombers opt to use two Canadians in their five-receiver set. Deep talent pool in the draft, so they may pick a pass-catcher and/or add one as a free agent after the draft.

FORDE’S TOP 3: 1. Shawn Gore, Bishop’s; 2. Jordan Sisco, Regina; 3. Cory Watson, Concordia.

 

RUNNING BACKS/ FULLBACKS

Returning Canadians: Daryl Stephenson, Jon Oosterhuis.

Tait says: LaPolice’s offence calls for more touches for the fullbacks, so the depth chart could use more names. Question is, do you use one of only three picks for a spot that sees limited snaps?

Forde’s top 3 fullbacks: 1. Dathan Thomas, Saskatchewan; 2. Tim Cronk, Bishop’s; 3. Matt Henry, Manitoba. Running backs: 1. Pascal Fils, Sherbrooke; 2. Anthony Woodson, Calgary; 3. Nick FitzGibbon, Guelph.

 

DEFENSIVE LINE 

Returning Canadians: Doug Brown, Don Oramasionwu, Justin Shaw.

Coming aboard: Stan van Sichem (acquired from Montreal for Gavin Walls), Deji Oduwole. 

TAIT SAYS: The Bisons’ Eddie Steele would be a good fit here to provide some depth behind Brown, who turns 36 this year, and Donny O. But there are so many other needs that the team may opt to go elsewhere with their first pick, and by the time they pick again, 25th overall, it’s doubtful Steele will still be available.

FORDE’S TOP 3 D-TACKLES: 1. Brian Bulcke, Stanford; 2. Eddie Steele, Manitoba; 3. Dan Schutte, St. Mary’s. Ends: 1. Chima Ihekwoaba, Wilfrid Laurier; 2. Bruno LaPointe, Buffalo; 3. Marc-Antoine Beaudoin-Cloutier, Laval.

 

LINEBACKERS

RETURNING CANADIANS: Pierre-Luc Labbe, Shawn Gallant.

COMING ABOARD: Thaine Carter.

TAIT SAYS: The Bombers desperately want more help at this position, especially with the retirement of Neil McKinlay, so we’re anticipating they could use their first pick at linebacker. Whispers continue to swirl that the squad loves Cory Greenwood of Concordia and Montreal’s Joash Gesse, and one of them might still be there at the sixth spot.

FORDE’S TOP 3 LINEBACKERS: 1. Shomari Williams, Queen’s; 2. Joash Gesse, Montreal; 3. Cory Greenwood, Concordia. Outside/cover linebackers: 1. Chris Smith, Queen’s; 2. Corbin Sharun, Edmonton Wildcats; 3. Giancarlo Rapanaro, Wilfrid Laurier.

 

SECONDARY

RETURNING CANADIANS: Ian Logan, Brady Browne, Nick Kordic.

COMING ABOARD: Jerry-Ralph Jules.

TAIT SAYS: There’s depth and talent here. With only three picks in the draft, it would be shocking if the Bombers used one to grab a defensive back.

FORDE’S TOP 3 CORNERBACKS: 1. Taurean Allen, Wilfrid Laurier; 2. Hamid Mahmoudi, Montreal; 3. Chris Rwabukamba, Duke.

TOP 3 SAFETIES: Cauchy Muamba, St. Francis-Xavier; 2. Saleem Borhot, St. Mary’s; 3. Nick Poloniato, Bishop’s.

 

SPECIALISTS

RETURNING CANADIANS: P Mike Renaud, LS Chis Cvetkovic. 

TAIT SAYS: Renaud should be good to go by training camp after suffering a knee injury last year. The Bombers like what they have in Renaud and Alexis Serna, so it would be a real stretch if they drafted a kicker.

FORDE’S TOP 3 KICKERS: 1. Rob Maver, Guelph; 2. Chris Bodnar, Saskatoon Hilltops; 3. Grant Shaw, Saskatchewan.