GM Kyle Walters | Murkied Picture After Combine

REGINA – Kyle Walters & Co. plopped down in their favourite ice cream joint, figuring their impending big decision – who to select with the first-overall pick in the Canadian Football League Draft in May– was about to crystallize.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers football operations staff has already done months of work in preparation for the draft, after all, and this weekend’s National Combine of some of the top draft prospects was supposed to help them find some clarity as to who to take at No. 1 and then who they might like with picks No. 6, 15 and 23.

What they got over the last couple of days, and in particular following the one-on-one showdowns Saturday afternoon, was the exact opposite.

“It felt good at lunch. We went to Dairy Queen. We’re having Blizzards and Peanut Buster Parfaits… we had it all figured out and we were going to go home,” said Walters, the Bombers GM with a chuckle. “And then we come back this afternoon and it’s like, ‘Huh… we’ve got more work to do.’

“It would have been really nice to say, ‘Yes. Here’s what we’re doing. All’s well and good. I’ve got a great plan. Now the plan from lunch time is muddied. So, more work.”

And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Holding the first-overall pick means the Bombers don’t have to wait on anyone before grabbing the player they want and, barring a trade, owning three more selections in the top 23 gives them options to add to their current depth, use a choice to grab a ‘futures’ player – a prospect who might land an NFL look or be heading back to school.

Or all of the above.

Many of the CFL’s top draft prospects weren’t here, choosing instead to hold their own pro days for NFL teams, but of the 50-plus players who were in attendance many took turns popping off the page.

Walters wouldn’t tip his hand when asked who he might pick with the first-overall selection, choosing instead to highlight some who had good combines. His shout-outs went to Guelph running back Johnny Augustine, Calgary defensive lineman Connor McGough, Manitoba lineman Evan Foster and Sherbrooke fullback Anthony Gosselin while also indicating the offensive line prospect pool in attendance offered five or six guys who will play in the CFL.

Ted Geovia, Mike O’Shea and Kyle Walter of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers during the 2017 CFL combine in Regina, SK., Friday, March 24, 2017. (Photo: Johany Jutras)

“There weren’t any definitive winners and losers today,” he said. “I think everybody competed hard. Maybe some of the kids you graded high versus the kids that maybe grade a little bit lower… they all had some good reps, they had some bad reps so now it’s a matter of we’ll sit down and have to watch this film a lot more closely over the next couple of weeks and go back and watch some more game film.

“The more information you got as the week went on murkied the waters, I’d say.”

The Bombers will now involve more of their position coaches to add to their overall player grades, but must also attend the pro days of the prospects who weren’t in Regina or fly them in to Winnipeg for private workouts or interviews.

Asked if there was a need to be careful in falling in love with prospects here in Regina knowing that some of the top-rated players weren’t in attendance, Walters said the club has trust in a process that has seen them add 13 roster players over the last three drafts.

That list includes starters Matthias Goossen, Sukh Chungh, Taylor Loffler and Chris Normand, special teams/depth players Jesse Briggs, Derek Jones, Garrett Waggoner, Addison Richards, Brendan Morgan, Justin Warden, Trent Corney, Michael Couture, Shayne Gauthier.

As well, two picks from last year’s draft – O-lineman Zach Intzandt and D-lineman Rupert Butcher – are coming off All-Canadian seasons after returning to school and will be in camp this year.

That’s an impressive Canadian talent base that should only be bolstered with four of the first 23 picks, especially first and sixth overall.

“It’s a really nice position to be in, having those two picks in the Top 6,” Walters said. “It’s exciting. It puts a little pressure on you, which is not a bad thing.

“We’ve got a chance to add two first-round talent players to our roster and continue to add depth and talent to our overall Canadian content which, as we all know, is paramount to success.”