19 Canada West players selected in CFL Draft
Evan Daum, Canada West Communications
Highlights:
- 19 Canada West players were selected in Sunday night's Canadian Football League (CFL) Draft – tops among U SPORTS' four conferences
- It is the largest draft class ever for the conference in an eight-round CFL Draft and the second most all-time behind 1985's total of 25 CW picks (nine rounds)
- Calgary led the nation with nine players selected, setting a new program record for draftees in a single year
- All six CW football programs had at least one player taken, while all nine CFL franchises selected at least one conference player
EDMONTON – Sunday night was one to remember for Canada West football, as the conference led the nation with 19 active players selected in the Canadian Football League Draft.
CW's 19 players was the highest total for any conference in the Draft, coming in just ahead of Ontario University Athletics, which had 18 players taken Sunday evening (Le Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (15), Atlantic University Sport (2)).
The conference's 19 draftees is the largest ever for CW in an eight-round draft, and the most since 1985, when a total of 25 CW players were selected in the then nine-round affair.
Along with the conference's stellar night, the Calgary Dinos had an historic evening, setting a new program record for the largest single draft class with nine. That total broke Calgary's previous mark of eight from 1986. The Dinos' nine players is also the most from a single school over the last decade, as Laval was the most recent program to have eight players selected just last year.
The Dinos got the night started for the conference when DL Connor McGough went fourth overall to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. McGough was one of three CW players taken in the opening round, as Manitoba Bisons OL Geoff Gray (8th overall / Winnipeg Blue Bombers), and Saskatchewan Huskies OL Evan Johnson (9th overall / Ottawa REDBLACKS) were also taken inside the top nine.
All six conference football programs saw at least one player drafted Sunday, as along with Calgary, Saskatchewan (3), Alberta (2), Manitoba (2), and Regina (2) had multiple picks, while UBC's lone draftee was star receiver Alex Morrison (29th overall / Montreal Alouettes).
Along with every CW football squad having a draftee, all nine CFL franchises took at least one conference player. Leading the way in terms of CW content were the defending Grey Cup champion Ottawa REDBLACKS, who selected four players from the conference.
WATCH THE CFL STARS OF THE FUTURE THIS FALL
The 2017 CW football season opens Friday, September 1 when the conference regular season kicks off with a trio of games.
Fans can watch all 24 CW regular season games along with the three Hardy Cup Playoff games – including the 81st Hardy Cup on Saturday, November 11 – by purchasing a Canada West TV pass.
A full list of Canada West TV packages available for the 2017-18 season will be announced in August.
CW players selected in the 2017 CFL Draft (19 total)
Round / Overall / Position / Name / University / CFL team
1st / 4th / DL / Connor McGough / Calgary Dinos / Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1st / 8th / OL / Geoff Gray / Manitoba Bisons / Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1st / 9th / OL / Evan Johnson / Saskatchewan Huskies / Ottawa REDBLACKS
2nd / 13th / OL / Braden Schram / Calgary Dinos / Hamilton Tiger-Cats
2nd / 16th / OL / Jeremy Zver / Regina Rams / B.C. Lions
2nd / 17th / WR / Julan Lynch / Saskatchewan Huskies / Calgary Stampeders
3rd / 19th / DL / Evan Foster / Manitoba Bisons / Toronto Argonauts
4th / 27th / DB / Robert Woodson / Calgary Dinos / Toronto Argonauts
4th / 29th / WR / Alex Morrison / UBC Thunderbirds / Montreal Alouettes
5th / 37th / WR / Mitchell Picton / Regina Rams / Saskatchewan Roughriders
6th / 48th / WR / Denzel Radford / Calgary Dinos / Montreal Alouettes
6th / 53rd / WR / Austen Hartley / Calgary Dinos / Ottawa REDBLACKS
7th / 59th / WR / Brendon Thera-Plamondon / Calgary Dinos / Winnipeg Blue Bombers
7th / 61st / DB / Adam Laurensse / Calgary Dinos / Calgary Stampeders
7th / 62nd / RB / Ed Ilnicki / Alberta Golden Bears / Ottawa REDBLACKS
8th / 63rd / DL / Matthew Carson / Calgary Dinos / Toronto Argonauts
8th / 68th / WR / Tylor Henry / Alberta Golden Bears / Winnipeg Blue Bombers
8th / 69th / WR / Mitch Hillis / Saskatchewan Huskies / B.C. Lions
8th / 71st / OL / Jordan Filippelli / Calgary Dinos / Ottawa REDBLACKS
*Only players that competed during the 2016 CW season are listed above. Drafted players who formerly competed on CW teams, but didn't this past season, aren't listed.
CW players selected by university
Calgary – 9 (McGough, Schram, Woodson, Radford, Hartley, Thera-Plomondon, Laurensse, Carson, Filippelli)
Saskatchewan – 3) (Johnson, Lynch, Hillis)
Alberta – 2 (Ilnicki, Henry)
Manitoba – 2 (Gray, Foster)
Regina – 2 (Zver, Picton)
UBC – 1 (Morrison)
CW players selected by CFL team
Ottawa – 4 (Johnson, Hartley, Ilnicki, Filippelli)
Toronto – 3 (Foster, Woodson, Carson)
Winnipeg – 3 (Gray, Thera-Plomondon, Henry)
B.C. – 2 (Zver, Hillis)
Calgary – 2 (Lynch, Laurensse)
Hamilton – 2 (McGough, Schram)
Montreal – 2 (Morrison, Radford)
Saskatchewan – 1 (Picton)