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May 9, 2016

Kyle Walters: Quiet on CFL Draft eve

In this photo provided by Montana State University….during an NCAA FCS football game Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014 in Bozeman, Mont. (AP photo/Kelly Gorham, Montana State University)

May 9, 2016

There will undoubtedly be the usual last minute, last second telephone calls. That’s always how the Canadian Football League Draft works, with teams sometimes desperately trying to move up or down the proceedings.

But on the eve of Tuesday’s annual Canadian talent grab, Winnipeg Blue Bombers GM Kyle Walters summed up the activity – at least, from his end – like this:

“It’s quiet… right now. There was a little bit (of discussion) with one team. Everybody wants to talk about nine and 10… we’re not giving those up.

“I predict nothing will get done and we’re OK waiting to see how it unfolds.”

The Bomber boss is cool with waiting to see how things unfold because the club does sit with the ninth and 10th picks in the draft and, in addition to the 19th overall selection, have three picks in the top 20.

That’s a decent spot to be in, considering that with the consensus best player in the draft – University of Manitoba defensive tackle David Onyemata – having been drafted by the New Orleans Saints, there is no clear-cut no. 1.

In fact, with Iowa receiver Tevaun Smith (Indianapolis), Boston College defensive lineman Mehdi Abdesmad (Tennessee), Michigan State defensive back Arjen Colquoun (Dallas) and Calgary defensive back Elie Bouka (Arizona) all having signed NFL deals as priority free agents, the top of every CFL team’s draft boards has featured a ton of edits.

Smith, Abdesmad, Colquhoun and Bouka were ranked second, third, fourth and 18th in the CFL Scouting Bureau’s final draft rankings last month.

That said, the weekend did provide some clarity for CFL GMs, as none of the draft prospects who attended NFL mini-camps stuck, meaning there are no strings attached when calling out one of their names when it comes time to making a pick.

“It doesn’t really change anything,” said Walters. “We’d assumed they’d all be available. But what it does with the draft close is allow us to say, ‘Thank goodness.’

“(NFL teams) have had their draft, they’ve already got their rosters. So, if they had bumped up a mini-camp guy they would have had to have gotten rid of somebody. It means they like them and they are then heading to training camp. But that’s not a concern now.”

The Bombers have 10 offensive linemen listed on their current roster, four of which are Canadians, meaning they could look here for help with one of their earlier picks.

The draft does also feature some intriguing receiver prospects, which may be of interest.

But this is also the first draft since 2010 in which the Bombers are not selecting in the top three, meaning there is a whole pile of uncertainty as the event nears.

“It’ll be interesting,” Walters said. “In the last few years you waited, but you knew pretty quickly that you were getting this guy or that guy.

“The first hour of the draft will be much more interesting for us this year.”

BLUE FYI: The Bombers have transferred import receiver Jerrel Jernigan to the retired list.

 

THE 4-1-1 ON THE CFL

WHEN: Tuesday, May 10th, 6 p.m.

TV: TSN1 TSN3, RDS2 will televise the first hour of the draft. Later rounds will be streamed live on TSN GO. All the picks will be updated on the CFL’s Draft tracker.

WHO: Bombers GM Kyle Walters will call out the picks for the club and is joined in the team’s draft ‘war room’ by Head Coach Mike O’Shea, president & CEO Wade Miller, Director of Communications Darren Cameron, and Video Coordinator Kent Anderson.

NEW: The draft has expanded from seven to eight rounds. Since 2013, the draft had been seven rounds and from 1997-2012 it was a six-round affair.

Bomber Picks Graphic