By: Justin Boone
jboone@ticats.ca
Who’s Number One?
The Ticats are on the clock, but there has been plenty of speculation that they might try and trade out of the spot, dropping down in the draft and picking up a starter in the process. As much as a quality veteran might help the team, I don’t see a trade getting done in the next eight days unless someone significantly steps up to the plate ready to swing. Rest assured that Obie won’t give away the first pick for anything short of an established talent.
Will Zeke Moreno repeat his performance from a year ago?
Having Zeke in town for community appearances last week, I was able to talk to at length with him about his sophomore season in Black and Gold. He knows with JoJuan Armour gone, it will be on him to lead the defence this year and he’s excited to see what defensive coordinator Denny Creehan has to bring to his side of the ball. As you could assume, Zeke isn’t all that worried about his total tackles, and would much rather work on keeping teams out of the endzone and off the scoreboard.
(Sidenote: I came across an interesting stat this week, the last time the Ticats shut a team out was over 30 years ago, in a 23-0 win over Montreal in the 1976 Divisional Semi-Finals. No pressure Zeke.)
Is Jesse ready to run rampant on CFL defences?
If last season was any indicator, Mr. Lumsden isn’t too bad at running back. In fact, he might be one of the top backs in the league. With his surgery a distant memory, he has worked hard to get himself back into top shape and much like Zeke, Jesse is revitalized after the off-season and can’t wait to get back on the field. The presence of Terry Caulley could also work in Jesse’s favour, as Caulley proved more than capable of shouldering some of the rushing duties, which could help keep Lumsden fresh. With his young guards a year older, you can expect to see plenty of yards on the ground once again this year.
Have the Ticats actually upgraded at WR?
Yes, but for the answer of how much they’ve upgraded, we won’t truly know that until training camp. If we draft a receiver next week, it might sway my vote, but as of right now, our acquisitions still need to prove themselves. Tony Miles is an athlete and perhaps just as important, he has a great personality for the locker room. I expect Tony to contribute in a big way this year. Pat Woodcock, Frank Murphy, and Montiese Culton have skill and Obie’s blessing, so we’ll have our fingers crossed that they will improve the receiving corps. Jason French is a constant role player, Jason Armstead showed he can perform, and Chris Bauman should make a jump with a year of experience. A training camp to build chemistry with their QB’s Casey Printers and Richie Williams should help as well.
What are the Tabbies positions of need heading into the draft?
With all that being said about wide receivers, I wouldn’t be shocked to see us take a pass catcher in the first two rounds. The secondary is being revamped, but aside from potentially taking a safety, there isn’t likely to be much help for the DBs through the draft. Lineman, a more traditional Canadian draft spot, has a few intriguing prospects and will likely account for a couple of our selections. In any event, next Wednesday is one of the more exciting moments of the off-season and you can catch all coverage here on Ticats.ca.
What do you think the Ticats will do in next week’s draft? Send your e-mails, comments, or questions to jboone@ticats.ca
Easier Said Than Done
(Quote of the Week)
“I’m excited about the idea of going out and having fun again.”
The Argos newest wide receiver David Boston talking about his return to the football field, this time in the CFL. Boston played his collegiate ball at Ohio State, before becoming a top ten-draft pick in the NFL. Unfortunately, he sat out of football last season, and hasn’t played a real game since 2005.
In Case You Blinked
(News from the Week)
It didn’t get a lot of press around here, but Blue Bombers quarterback Kevin Glenn got what he wanted, a new contract. The terms were not disclosed, but Glenn should be happy now leading Winnipeg’s huddle.
