Stamps hold first overall pick in CFL Draft after Arbuckle trade - TSN

The Calgary Stampeders are on the clock with the first overall selection in the 2020 CFL Draft.

Watch the CFL Draft live at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN1/3/5, TSN Direct, and streaming on TSN.ca.

While the Stampeders finished second in the West Division with a 12-6 record last season, they swapped first round selections with the Ottawa Redblacks as part of the Nick Arbuckle trade and now sit atop the first round draft order.

Stampeders GM John Hufnagel told the Calgary Sun earlier this week he expects to make the pick after not receiving much interest from other teams to trade up.

The Stamps are followed by the Toronto Argonauts, who have two first round draft picks. The Argos hold their own selection, second overall, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ first round selection, ninth overall, as part of the Zach Collaros trade.

The Argos are followed by the BC Lions (third overall) and Edmonton Eskimos (fourth overall).

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have two first round selections, their first being the fifth overall selection via the Montreal Alouettes as a result of the Johnny Manziel trade two seasons ago. The Ticats are also scheduled to select eighth overall.

The Redblacks hold the sixth overall selection, originally slated to be the Stampeders’ first round pick, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders are scheduled to select seventh overall.

The CFL Scouting Bureau released their final prospect rankings ahead of the CFL Draft last week with the top two names – Oklahoma DT Neville Gallimore and Notre Dame WR Chase Claypool – likely off the board until at least much later in the draft after both were selected in the NFL Draft.

Four other players on the Scouting Bureau rankings joined NFL teams as well, with Alberta OL Carter O’Donnell (No. 3), Brown DL Michael Hoecht (No. 6), Montreal DB Marc-Antoine Dequoy (No. 9), and Simon Fraser WR Rysen John (No. 18) all signing undrafted free agent contracts.

While there is less invested in UDFAs than draft picks in the NFL, O’Donnell, Hoecht, Dequoy, and John will likely be with their NFL clubs at least through training camp, which could affect their CFL Draft stock.

Some notable names expected to go early in the draft include former East Carolina LB Jordan Williams and Ohio QB Nathan Rourke. Williams played four seasons at East Carolina and finished his senior season with 89 tackles and three tackles for a loss with the FBS program.

“He’s as explosive an athlete as you’re going to find at the linebacker position,” TSN’s Duane Forde said of Williams. “He ran a 4.48 40-yard dash, weighing 220 pounds at the Ontario regional combine. He finished in the Top 5 in all of the tests. So he’s in very exclusive company in that regard.”

“Williams has the most impressive film I’ve seen at the linebacker position since I’ve been around this league,” TSN’s Davis Sanchez echoed. “He can flat out fly.”

Rourke could be the rare quarterback to be selected early in the CFL Draft after starting three seasons at Ohio. Rourke led the Bobcats to three bowl game appearances and finished his senior season last year with 2,820 yards and 20 touchdowns passing and 867 yards and 13 touchdowns rushing.

“I think CFL teams are very interested in Rourke and have been for a while,” said TSN Football Insider Dave Naylor. “They like his intangibles. He is a leader, he’s a tough guy, and he commands the huddle.”

Three other players to keep an eye on early in the draft include:

- Isaac Adeyemi Berglund, who is on the map after a 7.5-sack season at Southeastern Louisiana (FCS).

- Kian Schaffer-Baker, who Forde called the best prospect no one is talking about.

- Adam Auclair, who is following in his older brother Antony’s footsteps out of Laval.

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2020-04-30 12:49:00Z
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