Calgary Stampeders see quality at every position for 2024 CFL Draft

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Dwayne Cameron calls this year’s crop of Canadian soccer talent “impressive.”

Especially when it comes to how far that skill extends across the board, says the Calgary Stampeders draft coordinator.

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“The overall quality of Canadian players continues to improve, and that’s at all positions,” Cameron said, ahead of Tuesday’s annual pick-em, the 2024 CFL Draft (6 p.m., TSN), to help teams accumulate talent local. for future three-down football seasons.

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“I mean…I think everyone is used to Canadians playing on the offensive line and being effective there,” Cameron continued. “But now we are seeing that Canadians are effective in all positions. And that has been reflected in the number of Canadians who are getting NFL opportunities across the board. It’s great for our game that the talent level continues to grow. And I think that increases interest in the game in general in our country, which is great.

“I think it’s an impressive group.”

Good thing the NFL stepped in over the weekend and took over the top-tier offensive line content that had CFL scouts salivating ahead of the upcoming draft, significantly reducing the elite talent available to Cameron and the Stampeders, who hold fourth place overall. selection, in Round 1, and two selections in the second round, 13th and 14th overall.

The top five, and seven of the top 11, prospects in the CFL Scouting Office’s final rankings were selected or signed by teams in the NFL Draft or in the hours immediately following the four-down pick-em.

And five of them were linemen, with top-ranked Isaiah Adams (NCAA’s Illinois Fighting Illini) and No. 8 Giovanni Manu (U SPORTS’ UBC Thunderbirds) selected respectively by the Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions, and No. 4 Kyle Hergel (NCAA Boston College Eagles), No. 5 Theo Benedet (UBC) and No. 11 Anim Dankwah (NCAA Howard Bison) signed by the New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles respectively.

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“The offensive line class is probably the strongest and deepest group overall; that group stands out,” Cameron said. “It’s probably been a couple of years since you’ve been able to say that. This year’s offensive line group turns out to be exceptionally strong, and half of them may have potential opportunities in the NFL, so you have to weigh that.

“Like… Isaiah Adams? I’ve known Isaiah since he was in high school. “I know the quality of the player and the character of the athlete… We won’t see him in the CFL anytime soon, if ever.”

That might not happen either with the other Canadian prospects picked up by NFL teams, which also include talented tight ends Theo Johnson (NCAA’s Penn State Nittany Lions) and Tanner McLachlan (NCAA’s Arizona Wildcats). Lethbridge native Johnson and McLachlan, Nos. 2 and 3 in the CFL rankings, were picked up by the New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals respectively, putting a dent in the availability of big-time pass catchers who may have called the attention of CFL scouts. for the draft.

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As it is, the 2024 CFL Global Draft begins the day early, with the Stamps owning the fourth pick, due to their fourth-from-last place finish in the 2023 CFL standings, in each of the two rounds.

It then moves on to the 2024 CFL Draft, with the league’s nine teams waiting to better target talent in the eight-round process.

The Edmonton Elks own the first overall pick, with the Stamps at Nos. 4, 13 and 14, with the first two determined again by their placement in the standings, and the last obtained courtesy of the Bo Levi Mitchell trade made with the Hamiltons . Tiger-Cats at the end of the 2022 season.

“It’s a great position, but it’s a unique situation,” Cameron said. “Let’s put it this way… you don’t want to be in the number four draft, right? I mean…if you pick at number four, that means your previous season wasn’t the success you hoped it would be.

“But when you have that opportunity, you have to make sure you use that pick as efficiently as possible. Therefore, on Tuesday we have excellent options.”

Barring any changes, the Stampeders don’t have a third-round pick in hand, but then follow up with the fourth pick in each subsequent round.

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“You want to draft the most talented players you can,” Cameron said. “I think different organizations approach it differently. Some make their selections strictly on a need-based basis. Some make them the best player available. I think considering a combination of the two is probably what will best serve your organization.

“It’s hard to say which direction we’re going to go,” continued Cameron, who is also the Stampeders’ defensive backs coach. “There are teams drafting in front of us that may have interest in players that we’re interested in. And until those names come off the board, it’s really hard to predict which direction you’re going to go.”

Of those names still high on the CFL Scouting Office board are linebacker Joel Dublanko (NCAA’s Cincinnati Bearcats) at No. 6, wide receiver Nick Mardner (NCAA’s Auburn Tigers) at No. 7, linebacker Geoffrey Cantin-Arku (NCAA Memphis Tigers) at No. 9 and wide receiver Kevin Mital (U SPORTS Laval Rouge et Or) at No. 10.

After that, there’s defensive lineman Daniel Okopoko (NCAA’s San Diego State Aztecs) in the middle of a group of four side linemen (again the strength of the class) consisting of Gabe Wallace (NCAA’s Buffalo Bulls), Nathaniel Dumoulin-Duguay (Laval), Christy Nkanu (NCAA Washington State Cougars) and Daniel Johnson (NCAA Purdue Boilermakers).

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Local content includes wide receiver Ajou Ajou (NCAA’s South Florida Bulls), lineman John Bosse (U SPORTS’ Calgary Dinos) and defensive lineman Justin Sambu (NCAA’s Baylor Bears), all Calgary products, and the Brooks running back, Matthew Peterson (U. SPORTS Alberta Golden Bears).

“The linebacker, the defensive line group, the defensive backs, the receivers… there’s talent at running back,” Cameron added. “This year there is talent in all conditions.

“For me, this comes from training at the grassroots level. Coaches at those levels have access to more resources to improve, whether it’s coaching clinics or YouTube videos… I mean, today there’s so much access to things that coaches a generation ago didn’t have access to. . And it has definitely had an impact on the talent level, without a doubt.”

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Stamps on the eraser.

1st round

4th overall

2nd round

13th overall

14th overall (acquired in exchange for QB Bo Levi Mitchell to Hamilton Tiger-Cats)

3rd round

None (24th loss overall in trade of QB Bo Levi Mitchell to Hamilton Tiger-Cats)

4th round

33rd overall

5th Round

42nd overall

6th Round

51 overall

Seventh round

60th overall

8th round

69th overall

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