The 2023 Canadian Football League (CFL) Draft is set to go tomorrow night. With just over 24 hours before the event gets underway, there is still plenty of mystique at the top of the draft board.
The Roughriders have the third overall selection and O’Day feels the Riders will have a chance to grab a quality prospect with the pick.
“There’s good players in every position group.”
Following Saskatchewan’s first round selection, the Riders will hold seven picks. Currently they have no picks in the 5th round with the Riders trading that pick to the Montreal Alouettes last summer in exchange for Mario Alford. The Roughriders acquired an additional draft choice in the 7th round with the team sending Global punter James Smith to the Calgary Stampeders in June of 2022.
Ottawa holds the first selection with Edmonton picking just before Saskatchewan as they possess the second overall pick.
Among the players who could hear their name selected at the top draft include Pittsburgh WR Jared Wayne, Penn State DB Jonathon Sunderland, TCU DL Lwal Uguak, Southern Utah DL Francis Bemiy, Fresno State OL Dontae Ball and Northern Illnois WR Cole Tucker.
This past weekend in the National Football League (NFL) Draft, an all-time five Canadians were selected. The Roughriders general manager believes the Canadian players are now more prepared to make the transition to the professional ranks.
“Overall for Canadian players it’s a good draft but for CFL teams maybe not as good because you don’t have the ability to see those guys right away, they weren’t low round picks they were taken pretty high towards the middle of the NFL Draft.”
The Atlanta Falcons picked Syracuse OL Matthew Bergeron in Round 2. Illinois DB Sydney Brown was picked by the Philadelphia Eagles in Round 3. Eastern Michigan OL Sidy Sow went to the New England Patriots in Round 4, pass rusher Tavius Robinson from the University of Missouri was selected by the Baltimore Ravens and RB Chase Brown is now a Cincinnati Bengal after they picked him in Round 5.
Saskatchewan may look to add to their offensive line depth in tomorrow’s draft but O’Day said that he has a lot of faith in the Riders experienced Canadian offensive linemen and the team is planning to go with at least three starting National offensive linemen.
O’Day noted along with Logan Ferland and Evan Johnson, he is confident in the newest members of the team’s offensive line, Peter Godber and Philip Blake. Both players joined the Riders in February during the early stages of CFL Free Agency.
The Riders also have used recent draft capital on the offensive line with Logan Bandy selected in the 5th round in 2021 along with Zack Fry and Diego Alatorre-Montoya were taken early in the 2022 draft.
“My math, if you’re starting with three and you have seven, just a matter if you think that you can draft someone at that spot that’s going to be an improvement to the players you have. ”
Full coverage of tomorrow’s CFL Draft can be found on 620 CKRM. Following Tuesday’s edition of the SportsCage, the 2023 Draft will begin at 6:00.
