From Lévis to Memphis via Syracuse, Geoffrey Cantin-Arku has always carried with him a destabilizing confidence. And it’s neither Tyreek Hill nor Odell Beckham Jr. who will diminish it.
The 25-year-old athlete answered the call of The Press barely 24 hours before flying to Miami, home of the Dolphins. From May 10 to 12, Cantin-Arku will participate in the team’s mini-camp, under an agreement signed at the end of the last NFL draft.
The Quebecer has not heard his name called by one of the 32 organizations on the Goodell circuit, but he will nevertheless have the chance to rub shoulders with the most promising young players.
The linebacker was also in talks with the San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders, he said, but he agreed with Miami because the team employs a 3-4 defensive scheme, a system in which four linebackers are used. “So the Dolphins represented the best opportunity for me. »
This chance is the opportunity of a lifetime, he said.
Overflowing confidence
Since the first time he put on a helmet and shoulder pads at home in Lévis, the 6’3″ and 240 lb athlete has carried his backpack and his hopes to CEGEP Garneau, then to the universities of Syracuse and Memphis, where he played all five years in the NCAA.
When we talk with him, we are dealing with a completely uninhibited being. His tone, both persuasive and friendly, and his thoughts, both well expressed and thoughtful, certainly helped him to seduce the leaders of the Dolphins.
This confidence is more of a tool than a facade. If he manages to earn a job in the NFL, he will face the best receivers in the world. Starting with those of his own team.
Just because I’m going to be with Tyreek Hill and Odell Beckham Jr., who have been stars for a long time, doesn’t mean I’m going to have any less confidence in myself.
Geoffrey Cantin-Arku
“I couldn’t be in this position if I didn’t have confidence in myself. I know my value, I know what I can bring to Miami,” he says.
Two days after signing his agreement with the Dolphins, Cantin-Arku was drafted into the Canadian Football League.
The Montreal Alouettes selected him ninth overall with their first pick of the auction. So if the Quebecer is not retained in the NFL, he will be able to report to the camp of the champion team of the last Gray Cup.
“I had no expectations. Since I got my opportunity in the NFL, that’s what I’ve been focusing on. The rest is extra,” underlined the main person concerned.
Cantin-Arku was the most talented player available in the Canadian draft. The majority of mock drafts placed him first overall. However, his participation in the Dolphins camp certainly cooled some teams about the idea of choosing him and taking the risk of never seeing him return to Canada.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MEMPHIS TIGERS
Geoffrey Cantin-Arku with the Memphis Tigers
The author of 79 tackles, a sack and an interception last year with the Memphis Tigers boasts exceptional athleticism and a vision of the game likely to help the cause of any team. The Alouettes made a good bet, he believes, by betting on him.
Then, in absolute terms, the Alouettes represent the best possible plan B: “Being recruited from home, knowing that I will always have a place here, that makes me happy. It’s not Edmonton, it’s not Calgary. Yes, I am Canadian, but above all, I am Quebecois. And knowing that it was in Montreal that they believed the most in my talent means a lot to me. »
The “same little guy”
The Florida market is abundant and intimidating. The Hard Rock Stadium is a marvel. The Dolphins are extremely popular and they play in one of the most watched divisions. But that’s nothing to scare Cantin-Arku.
With the addition of his selection by the Alouettes, he is the center of attention. It is his turn, after Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Benjamin St-Juste and Matthew Bergeron, “big names” that he himself cited, to be the new darling of Quebec football fans.
And he believes, in all modesty, that he has become “a little accustomed” to the spotlight. “Especially because of the NCAA. In the United States, football captures everyone’s attention. To be honest, I’m not bothering myself with this. I’m never on my phone. »
He calls himself a master in the art of avoiding distractions. His days consist of training, eating well and spending time with his family. Impossible to make it deviate from its trajectory.
And it is above all unthinkable to see him deviate from his plan. “My life could have changed if I had let all this change it. I’m the same little guy who grew up here on the South Shore, who is focused on making his dream come true. »
When he left for colleges south of the border, Cantin-Arku carried out a “cleaning” in his circle.
He says it without regret: “I have few friends, but I am close to my people. There are players who will tell you that they are friends with everyone, but me, I have my family and my agent with whom I am very close. »
He’s spent too many hours preparing for the next three days to risk screwing things up. His name resonates from Miami to Montreal and he is happy to be reminded of it.
“Knowing that it finally paid off, that eyes are on me, gives me a lot of pride. One thing is for sure, I don’t let this attention bother me and I know where my priorities are. »
The NFL “makes you no promises,” he assures, aware of all eventualities. In any case, nevertheless, he will be happy, because he will either realize his dream or he will return home.
Who is Geoffrey Cantin-Arku?
- Born in Lévis, 25 years old, 6 ft 3 in, 240 lbs
- He plays the linebacker position.
- Collegiate: Élans du Cégep Garneau
- NCAA: Memphis Tigers (2022 and 2023), Syracuse Orange (2019 to 2021)
- Choice of the Montreal Alouettes in the last Canadian Football League draft
reference: www.lapresse.ca