No. 2 pick in the 2007 CFL draft doesn’t guarantee impact player in weaker talent pool.
By Scott Petersen,
The Edmonton Journal
Even with the second pick in the Canadian college football draft, Danny Maciocia quickly ices the idea of snaring another Adam Braidwood.
The reward for posting a 7-11 record and missing the Canadian Football League playoffs in 2006 is the No. 2 overall pick in what has been deemed a weak draft. The Eskimos used the first overall pick last year to grab an immediate impact player for their defensive line in Braidwood, but don’t believe there is someone of similar ability at the top this time around.
Regardless, Maciocia and his staff have whittled down the list of 910 eligible players to a more manageable number for Wednesday’s draft.
“We should get ourselves a couple of players,” said Maciocia, the Eskimos coach and director of football operations.
“I don’t know about stepping in immediately, but (they will) have a legitimate shot to be able to break our lineup.”
Eskimos staff have logged long hours on the draft since wrapping up a busy free-agency period in February. They will have mulled over the pros and cons of hundreds of Canadian players largely unknown to the CFL’s fan base.
In the running for top pick is Toledo defensive lineman J.P. Bekasiak, who was born in Edmonton and raised in Windsor. Bekasiak has received plenty of support for the status of top pick to Hamilton, but the interest he has shown in pursuing an NFL job could force the Tiger-Cats to take a pass in favour of more immediate help.
Others mentioned to be getting a look for the first round include safety Tad Crawford from Columbia, receiver Jabari Arthur of Akron and offensive lineman Mike Gyetvai of Michigan State.
Maciocia said he has a pretty good feel for how the Eskimos will pick on draft day, though he wasn’t tipping his hand and didn’t want to comment on specific players. The Eskimos will finalize their draft board in a meeting Monday.
“We’ve put a ton of hours in and we’ve talked to players, coaches, high school coaches, doctors, athletic therapists and everyone under the sun,” said the coach.
“I don’t think it’s a crapshoot because if it were, chances are we wouldn’t have invested the amount of hours into it that we have. There’s a lot of work that goes into the draft, but that doesn’t mean there’s any guarantees, just like in the NFL when you’re picking a Ryan Leaf.
“It’s not a science, but there is a lot of work involved.”
The Eskimos have made recent deals that sent backup Canadian offensive lineman Glen Carson and safety Jason Nugent out of town. They could use some new, young blood to add depth in both positions.
Receiver could be a position they will pass on in the early rounds. The Esks are full of Canadian ball-catchers right now, including Pat Woodcock, Kamau Peterson, Andrew Nowacki and Rob LeBlanc.
“I’ve got no problems with where we’re at with our Canadian content, but you’re always looking at upgrading, getting a little bit better, a little bit younger, and that’s what the draft’s all about,” said Maciocia.
The CFL draft will be aired online at the league’s website www.cfl.ca.
ESKIMOS’ TOP PICKS
A look back at the Eskimos’ first-round picks since 2000.
– 2006 — Adam Braidwood, DE.
Quickly became starter in first year and earned the team’s top rookie honours with 20 tackles and four sacks.
– 2004 — Amar Sanghera, OL.
Big, physical specimen never panned out. Released before 2005 camp.
– 2003 — Emmanuel Casseus, LB.
Career-ending knee injury three days into first camp. Still got Grey Cup ring.
– 2003 — Randy Spencer, DT.
Led Eskimos with six sacks in 2004. Injuries have plagued career since.
– 2001 — Randy Chevrier, DL.
A Calgary Stampeder. He made three trips to the NFL and won a Grey Cup with the Eskimos in 2003.
