CFL Canadian Draft
X-Men offensive lineman Steve Myddleton was selected 30th overall in the fourth round of the CFL entry draft by the Calgary Stampeders. Teammate Gordon Sawler, also an offensive lineman, was chosen 34th overall in the fifth round by the Toronto Argonauts. They were two of four athletes selected from the AUS and part of a record number 38 CIS selections.

Alberta’s Rottier goes first overall, record day for CIS
OTTAWA (CIS) – University of Alberta offensive tackle Simeon Rottier of Westlock, Alta., was selected first overall in the 2009 CFL Canadian Draft on Saturday, part of a record day that saw 38 CIS players drafted including the top seven picks.

For all the information on the CFL Canadian Draft visit: www.cfl.ca

The 38 selections – 79.1 per cent of the 48 players drafted  – and the seven picks to open the draft are both records for CIS football since 1970. A previous high of 35 CIS student-athletes had been chosen in 2004, while the first six selections in 1983 were from CIS schools.

The seven players picked in the opening round rank third on the CIS list since 1970. Eight CIS athletes were drafted in the first round in both 1970 and 1972, when nine players were selected in every round.

Rottier became the sixth CIS player in eight years to go first overall and the third in as many years to hear his name called at No.1 by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, following Saskatchewan defensive back Dylan Barker in 2008 and Regina wide receiver Chris Bauman in 2007. Laval defensive end Miguel Robébé (2005, Calgary), Saint Mary’s offensive lineman Steven Morley (2003, Calgary) and Laval offensive lineman Alexandre Gauthier (2002, Ottawa) were also No.1 selections out of CIS since 2002.

Since 1970, 19 CIS players have been chosen with the top pick.

Rottier was the first-ever Golden Bear to go first overall in the CFL Draft. Mel Smith, who was chosen at No.4 by the Edmonton Eskimos in 1971, was the U of A’s previous highest selection.

The 6-foot-6, 286-pound senior topped the three CIS prospect lists published this year by the CFL Amateur Scouting Bureau. A two-time all-Canadian and three-time Canada West all-star, he played in the CIS East-West Bowl in 2008 and was one of two CIS players invited to the U.S. East-West Shrine Game in Texas last January, along with Légaré. In his fourth campaign with the Bears, he led an offensive line that ranked third in Canada West for least sacks allowed, third in passing offence and fourth in points scored.

“I’m very excited, I’m already looking forward to getting to training camp,” Rottier told TSN. “I want to be able to compete and contribute right off the bat. I’m looking forward to seeing what it’s like at the next level.”

“I’m just honoured that Hamilton has taken me and I believe I can help them out.”

The Regina Rams led all CIS programs with five players selected, part of 17 draftees from the Canada West conference. The Calgary Dinos and Queen’s Golden Gaels followed with three selections apiece, while reigning Vanier Cup champion Laval and 2008 national finalist Western Ontario were two of 10 schools with two.

Ten draftees were from the OUA, seven from the Quebec league and four from the Atlantic conference.

Linemen were by far the most popular CIS players as 11 were picked from the offensive side of the ball and 10 more on defence.

Five CIS defensive backs, four receivers, four linebackers, three running backs and one fullback were also chosen.

Rounding out the first-round selections out of CIS were Laval defensive tackle Étienne Légaré of St-Raymond, Que., who went to the Toronto Argonauts at No.2; Bishop’s running back Jamall Lee of Port Coquitlam, B.C., picked by the B.C. Lions at No.3; Bishop’s linebacker James Yurichuk of Brampton, Ont., selected fourth overall by B.C.; Acadia slotback Matt Carter of Kelowna, B.C., picked by the Lions at No.5; Saint Mary’s wide receiver Darcy Brown of Mississauga, Ont., who went to Hamilton at No.6; and Calgary offensive lineman Dylan Steenbergen of Lethbridge, Alta., taken by Montreal at No.7.

The reigning Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders selected Central Michigan defensive back Eric Fraser with the eighth and final pick of the opening round.

Légaré, who was ranked fifth on the first CFL Scouting Bureau list back in September and moved up to third on last week’s final list, won his second Vanier Cup as a member of the Rouge et Or last fall, was named to the first all-Canadian team, claimed the J.P. Metras trophy as the top down lineman in CIS football and was the Quebec conference finalist for the BLG award as CIS male athlete of the year. A three-time QUFL all-star and four-time Quebec champion, the 6-foot-4, 265-pound senior had 6.5 sacks and 23 tackles in only seven regular-season games in 2008 as Laval led the nation in fewest points allowed as well as total yards and rushing yards allowed per game.

Lee led CIS in rushing and was named a first-team all-Canadian each of the past two seasons. After only four university campaigns, he ranks fourth on the CIS career list with 4,296 rushing yards and on September 19, 2008, had the second best single-game performance in CIS history with 391 rushing yards against McGill, four yards short of the national mark. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound senior, whose father Orville was chosen first overall by Ottawa in the 1988 CFL Draft, became the first Gaiter selected in the first round since current Bishop’s head coach Leroy Blugh was chosen seventh overall by Edmonton in 1989 and is the second-highest draft pick in Bishop’s history, following only Larry Smith who was chosen No.1 by Montreal in 1971.

Yurichuk, a 6-foot-4, 233-pound senior, was named a second-team all-Canadian in 2008 after he finished second in Quebec and third in the nation with 59.5 tackles. It marked the first time in history two Bishop’s players were chosen in the first round in the same CFL Draft.

Carter, a 6-foot-2, 212-pound receiver, was an Atlantic conference all-star each of his four seasons at Acadia and ranks sixth on the AUS career list with 134 catches.

Brown had only eight catches for Saint Mary’s in 2008 but is a physical specimen for a receiver at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds and is expected to be utilized as a fullback in the CFL.

Steenbergen, 21, was one of the youngest players drafted on the day. The 6-foot-5, 285-pound O-lineman was a big part of Calgary’s success in 2008 as the Dinos captured their fist Canada West title since 1995.  

The 2009 CFL season gets under way on July 1st.

CIS players selected in 2009 CFL Canadian Draft (38):

First round (8 total selections)
1. Simeon Rottier, Alberta, OT (by Hamilton)
2. Étienne Légaré, Laval, DT (by Toronto)
3. Jamall Lee, Bishop’s, RB (by B.C.)
4. James Yurichuk, Bishop’s, LB (by B.C.)
5. Matt Carter, Acadia, SB (by B.C.)
6. Darcy Brown, Saint Mary’s, WR (by Hamilton)
7. Dylan Steenbergen, Calgary, OL (by Montreal)

Second Round (8 total selections)
1. (9 total) Tamon George, Regina, DB (by Saskatchewan)
3. (11 total) Gordon Hinse, Alberta, OL (by Edmonton)
4. (12 total) Dedrick Sterling, Queen’s, DL (by Edmonton)
7. (15 total) Matt Singer, Manitoba, OL (by Montreal)

Third Round (8 total selections)
1. (17 total) Nick Hutchins, Regina, OL (by Saskatchewan)
2. (18 total) James Green, Calgary, DB (by Toronto)
3. (19 total) Mike Morris, UBC, OL (by Winnipeg)
4. (20 total) Andrea Bonaventura, Calgary, LB (by Edmonton)
5. (21 total) Matt Morencie, Windsor, OL (by B.C.)
6. (22 total) Scott McCuaig, UBC, DE (by Hamilton)
7. (23 total) Nickolas Morin-Soucy, Montreal, DL (by Montreal)
8. (24 total) John Hashem, Regina, OT (by Calgary)

Fourth Round (8 total selections)
1. (25 total) Stan Van Sichem, Regina, DL (by Montreal)
2. (26 total) Zachary Pollari, Western Ontario, OT (by Toronto)
3. (27 total) Adam Bestard, Wilfrid Laurier, OL (by Winnipeg)
6. (30 total) Steve Myddelton, St. Francis Xavier, DE (by Calgary)
7. (31 total) Ivan Brown, Saskatchewan, DL (by Montreal)
8. (32 total) Scott McHenry, Saskatchewan, SB (by Calgary)

Fifth Round (8 total selections)
1. (33 total) Guillaume Allard-Caméus, Laval, RB (by Hamilton)
2. (34 total) Gordon Sawler, St. Francis Xavier, DL (by Toronto)
3. (35 total) Peter Quinney, Wilfrid Laurier, FB (by Winnipeg)
5. (37 total) Jonathan Pierre-Étienne, Montreal, DE (by B.C.)
6. (38 total) Raymond Wladichuk, Simon Fraser, DB (by Hamilton)
7. (39 total) Benoit Boulanger, Sherbrooke, RB (by Montreal)
8. (40 total) Osie Ukwuoma, Queen’s, DL (by Calgary)

Sixth Round (8 total selections)
2. (42 total) Anthony Deslauriers, Simon Fraser, DB (by Toronto)
3. (43 total) Brad Crawford, Guelph, DB (by Toronto)
4. (44 total) Jason Kosec, Western Ontario, LB (by Edmonton)
5. (45 total) Thaine Carter, Queen’s, LB (by Winnipeg)
7. (47 total) Ryan Mousseau, Ottawa, OL (by Montreal)
8. (48 total) John Kanaroski, Regina, WR (by Calgary)

CIS players selected by round (38):

First round: 7
Second round: 4
Third round: 8
Fourth round: 6
Fifth round: 7
Sixth round: 6

CIS players selected by regional associations (38):

Canada West: 17
OUA: 10
QSSF: 7
AUS: 4

CIS players selected by universities (38):

Regina: 5
Calgary: 3
Queen’s: 3
Alberta: 2
Laval: 2
Bishop’s: 2
StFX: 2
Western Ontario: 2
Saskatchewan: 2
UBC: 2
Montreal: 2
Wilfrid Laurier: 2
Simon Fraser: 2
Acadia: 1
Saint Mary’s: 1
Manitoba: 1
Windsor: 1
Sherbrooke: 1
Guelph: 1
Ottawa: 1

CIS players selected by positions (38):

Offensive linemen: 11 
Defensive linemen: 10
Defensive backs: 5
Receivers: 4
Linebackers: 4
Running backs: 3
Fullbacks: 1