Virginia's Trent Corney reaches the line during a shuttle run during NFL football pro day, Tuesday, March 15, 2016, at the university in Charlottesville, Va. (Andrew Shurtleff/The Daily Progress via AP)
May 24, 2016
The final piece of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2016 Draft Class is in place.
The Bombers announced Tuesday that defensive end Trent Corney, their first pick (9th overall) in the 2016 Draft has signed a contract and will be on the field Wednesday for the opening of training camp.
Corney (6-3, 255 lbs, Virginia, born in Brockville, Ont.) appeared in 34 games over four years, starting 11 of their 12 games last year. A gifted athlete who was the Canadian Junior Football League’s defensive rookie of the year while with the Ottawa Sooners in 2011, Corney was also the Canadian junior national titleholder in the javelin and anchored his high school’s 4×100 metre relay team.
Just as a refresher, here’s what Bombers GM Kyle Walters said about Corney on draft night earlier this month:
“He’s a natural fit for us with us starting Jamaal (Westerman) at defensive end. Loved his film at Virginia. He ran around for a couple of years on special teams and made plays and then started at defensive end. He’s a phenomenal athlete, high-motor guy. He’ll slide right in and compete for that back-up defensive end spot.”
All of the Bomber 2016 draft picks are now on board, including Corney, offensive linemen Michael Couture (10th overall) and Zach Intzandt (37th overall); defensive back Taylor Loffler (19th overall); linebackers Shayne Gauthier (28th overall) and Frank Renaud (63rdoverall), defensive tackle Rupert Butcher (46th overall) and receiver Alex Vitt (55th overall).
