It has long been one of the Canadian Football League’s great mysteries, forever shrouded in secrecy to players and their agents, to fans, and to the media alike.
The league drew the drapes on the mystery a bit on Tuesday, as all nine teams – including the Winnipeg Blue Bombers – were asked by CFL headquarters to reveal 10 names from their 45-player negotiation lists. As part of a move to become more transparent and create a buzz in the offseason, an additional 10 names will be revealed in December, just in time for the NCAA bowl games.
The 10 players whose names were made public by the Bombers (their choice) are:
- Jayson DiManche, LB, Southern Illinois
- Quinton Flowers, QB, South Florida
- Alex McGough, QB, Florida International
- Félix Ménard-Brière, K, Montreal
- Shakim Phillips, WR, Boston College
- Cody Prewitt, DB, Ole Miss
- Marcus Sayles, DB, West Georgia
- Tharold Simon, DB, LSU
- Chris Streveler, QB, South Dakota
- Corey Washington, WR, Newberry College
Chris Streveler
CFL teams use negotiation lists to, in a sense, stockpile the rights to American talent. Once a player – whether he is playing college football or has been through an NFL training camp – is put on a team’s neg list, they own his CFL rights as long as his name remains one of the 45 on the list. Teams do occasionally trade neg list players, they can also be added or removed at any time and the lists are constantly evolving. Case in point: one of the names released by the Bombers on Tuesday – receiver Corey Washington – was officially signed by the club not long after the reveal, meaning he is no longer on the neg list.
Bluebombers.com did provide a look at some of the names prior to Christmas in our ‘Ultimate (Bombers) Guide to Bowl Games‘, but here’s a snippet on some players who could one day be wearing blue and gold:
Jayson DiManche, Southern Illinois
Position: Linebacker
Height.: 6-1
Weight: 245
4-1-1: Went undrafted after college and has since bounced around the NFL with stops in Cincinnati, Kansas City, Cleveland, Cincinnati again, Detroit and San Francisco. He was waived by the 49ers late last August… Was a team captain in his last year at Southern Illinois.
Quinton Flowers, South Florida
Position: Quarterback
Height.: 6-0
Weight: 210
4-1-1: One of the most decorated QBs in the U.S., Flowers led the Bulls to a Birmingham Bowl win over Texas Tech in late December in his final college game… Named to the American Athletic Conference Second All-Star Team in 2017… A finalist for the Maxwell Award (best all-round player in the country), the Davey O’Brien Award (top QB in all NCAA), the Manning Award (top QB, as voted on by Sugar Bowl Committee), and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (top fourth-year QB)… In 2017, he was the College Football Performance Awards performer of the year, American Conference Offensive Player of the Year, First-team All-Conference, Birmingham Bowl MVP, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award semi-finalist, Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award finalist… Was South Florida’s MVP in 2015 and 2016 and is the school’s all-time leader in rushing touchdowns… Is getting interest in the NFL as a running back prospect.
Alex McGough, Florida International
Position: Quarterback
Height.: 6-2
Weight: 218
4-1-1: Was injured in the first quarter of the Panthers loss to Temple in the Gasparilla Bowl in December… In 2017, he threw for 2,791 yards with 17 TDs and eight interceptions while rushing for another five scores… Broke school records for completion percentage (65.3), passing yards and passer efficiency while being named to the Conference-USA Honorable Mention All-Star Team.
Félix Ménard-Brière
Félix Ménard-Brière, Montreal
Position: Kicker
Height: 5-11
Weight: 178
4-1-1: Selected by the Bombers in the fourth round (34th overall) in last year’s CFL Draft, but returned to school after training camp… Was named to the 2016 All-Canadian First All-Star Team as a punter. Was 17 of 25 in field goal attempts that season… Last year he was named to the U Sports Second All-Star Team as a punter.
Shakim Phillips, Boston College/Connecticut
Position: Wide receiver
Height: 6-3
Weight: 206
4-1-1: Began his college career at Boston College but transferred to UConn after his freshman season… Transferred back to B.C. for his final collegiate season… Signed as an undrafted free agent by Pittsburgh in 2015 and spent that year on the Steelers practice squad… Suffered a sports hernia injury in camp in 2016 and was waived.
Cody Prewitt, Ole Miss
Position: Defensive back
Height: 6-2
Weight: 208
4-1-1: Started at Ole Miss as a freshman as a safety and was an Associated Press All-American in 2013 and an AP second-team All-American in 2014. He was twice named to the All-SEC First-Team in 2013 and 2014… Went undrafted in 2015, but signed with Tennessee. Was released by the Titans during training camp of that year.
Cody Prewitt
Marcus Sayles, West Georgia
Position: Defensive back
Height: 5-10
Weight: 180
4-1-1: Spent last year on practice squads in Buffalo and with the Los Angeles Rams… Named to the 2016 All-Gulf South Second Team and the AFCA Second All-American Team in 2016… Was a kick-blocking specialist at West Georgia.
Tharold Simon, LSU
Position: Defensive back
Height: 6-3
Weight: 205
4-1-1: Selected in the fifth round by the Seattle Seahawks in 2013 and played in 11 games over parts of three seasons from 2013-15 before his release. Picked up by the Arizona Cardinals in 2016 and suited up for nine games that season. Signed with Washington last year, but was released.
Chris Streveler, South Dakota
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6-2
Weight: 220
4-1-1: Completed 65.7 per cent of his passes this past season for a whopping 4.134 yards with 32 TDs against eight interceptions. Also rushed for another 870 yards and 11 TDs… Named to the Associated Press FCS All-American Team and was also one of three finalists for the Walter Payton Award… Named the Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
Corey Washington, Newberry College
Position: Wide receiver
Height: 6-4
Weight: 215
4-1-1: Split his college days between Newberry College and Georgia Military… Was signed as an undrafted free agent by Arizona in 2014 and has since been a practice roster player with the New York Giants, Washington, Detroit, Atlanta, Buffalo, Kansas City and Dallas.
