CFL Scouting Bureau
McGill's Duvernay-Tardif tops initial prospects list, 13 CIS players in Top 15

OTTAWA (CIS) – Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, an offensive lineman from McGill University, is the number one prospect for the 2014 CFL Canadian Draft.

The CFL's Scouting Bureau published its initial Top 15 list of the season on Wednesday. Duvernay-Tardif heads an impressive group of 13 CIS players to make the cut, including the top 11, with the two remaining spots going to members of the NCAA's Simon Fraser Clan.

Duvernay-Tardif, a 6-foot-5, 305-pound medical student, was named a first-team CIS all-Canadian a year ago following his third season with the Redmen.

Other CIS standouts included on the Scouting Bureau's September list are St. Francis Xavier wide receiver Devon Bailey (No. 2), Montreal offensive lineman David Foucault (No. 3), Laval offensive lineman Pierre Lavertu (No. 4), Laval defensive back Adam Thibault (No. 5), Western linebacker Beau Landry (No. 6), Concordia linebacker Max Caron (No. 7), Queen's defensive back Andrew Lue (No. 8), Queen's linebacker Sam Sabourin (No. 9), Queen's defensive lineman Derek Wiggan (No. 10), Concordia slotback Kris Bastien (No. 11), Saskatchewan wide receiver Kit Hillis (No. 13) and Windsor defensive back Josh Burns (No. 14).

Lavertu and Hillis joined Duvernay-Tardif as first-team all-Canadians in 2012, while Sabourin was voted to the second CIS squad. Caron claimed the Presidents' Trophy in 2011 as the top defensive player in CIS.

Last season, University of Calgary defensive tackle Linden Gaydosh was ranked second, third and third on the three Scouting Bureau lists. In May, he became the seventh CIS player in as many years – and the 11th in the past 14 years - to be selected first overall in the CFL Draft when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats called his name at No. 1.

The CFL's Scouting Bureau is comprised of CFL scouts, player personnel directors and general managers from the league's eight teams.

CFL release: http://cfl.ca/article/cfl-scouting-bureau-releases-september-2013-rankings

CFL SCOUTING BUREAU SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 LIST:

Rank   Name                           University                   Hometown                  Pos.     Ht.       Wt.                 
1. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif     McGill                         St. Hilaire, Que.           OL       6-5       305     
2. Devon Bailey                       St. Francis Xavier        Mississauga, Ont.         WR      6-5       202
3. David Foucault                    Montreal                      LaSalle, Que.               OL       6-8       320
4. Pierre Lavertu                      Laval                           Quebec City, Que.       OL       6-3       300     
5. Adam Thibault                     Laval                           Quebec City, Que.       DB       6-0       195
6. Beau Landry                        Western                       Kitchener, Ont.            LB       5-11     201
7. Max Caron                           Concordia                    Kingston, Ont.             LB       6-2       213
8. Andrew Lue                         Queen's                       Markham, Ont.            DB       6-2       210
9. Sam Sabourin                      Queen's                       Stittsville, Ont.             LB       6-2       225
10. Derek Wiggan                    Queen's                       Toronto, Ont.               DL       6-1       254
11. Kris Bastien                       Concordia                    St. Lambert, Que.         SB        6-3       205
12. Casey Chin                        Simon Fraser               Port Moody, B.C.         LB        5-10     214
13. Kit Hillis                            Saskatchewan              Saskaton, Sask.            WR      5-9       175
14. Josh Burns                         Windsor                       LaSalle, Ont.                DB       6-1       185
15. Matthias Goossen              Simon Fraser               Richmond, B.C.            OL       6-4       294