Bert Faibish
CFL.ca
TORONTO — When it comes to drills that prospects perform in front of the watchful eyes of scouts and coaches, the vertical jump is one of the least glamorous.
When it comes to projecting a player’s ability at the next level though, “how high” is a frequently asked question.
A player’s ability to perform in the vertical and broad jump is often closely associated with his explosiveness and power. And that’s exactly what the prospects were up to on Saturday afternoon at the 2011 CFL Evaluation Camp presented by Reebok.
Defensive Linemen
For defensive linemen, the opportunity to show coaches just how explosive they can be means an opportunity to raise their stock among teams.
Despite tipping the scales at 260 pounds Saint Mary’s defensive lineman Chris Hodgson displayed an impressive 39.5 inch vertical at E-Camp on Saturday.
Saint Mary’s product Chris Hodgson raised eyebrows today when he nearly jumped out of the conference room at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Toronto during testing, measuring an impressive 39.5 inches in the vertical jump.
“Over the last year I’ve been on the field for 3 or 4 hours a day with the other guys, but with limited film this is an opportunity to show coaches that I can compete with these guys,” said Hodgson.
After playing hockey for his entire life and just picking up football a year ago, Hodgson needs to convince a team that his raw athleticism can translate into success on the field.
“If they have any doubts or are curious about what I can do, tomorrow’s one-on-one’s will be my time to show them that I’m not just an athlete, I’m a football player,” he added.
Another defensive lineman that turned some heads today has a name that has become synonymous with E-Camp success. Junior Turner, cousin of last year’s standout Steven Turner, showed that cousin Steve isn’t the only athlete in the family, leading the defensive linemen with a broad jump of 10’1″.
Offensive Linemen
The offensive linemen did their best to shed the “vertically challenged” stigma, contributing to the day with a solid 33 inches from Western Ontario’s Brendan Dunn.
“That was definitely a personal best for me, I’m really pleased with that,” said Dunn.
“Everything we do here is so important,” he added.
“Today I got a chance to show some of my explosiveness and tomorrow I’ll be able to display my technique, so you have to give your all in every drill,” he said.
Rounding out the day for the big boys was Sherbrooke’s Yannick Sage, who led the offensive linemen with a broad jump of 8 feet 11 inches.
Linebackers and Running Backs
As the giants of the offensive and defensive line took their leave, the power of the linebackers and running backs was put on display.
St. Francis Xavier’s Henoc Muamba rocketed up teams draft boards as he led the linebackers in both the vertical and broad jump with 35.5 inches and 10” 0.5’ respectively.
“To be honest I’m not as happy as I could have been, I guess I’m a tough critic of myself,” said Muamba.
“I wanted to post better numbers but I’m happy with the way I presented myself overall,” he said.
Holding it down for the running backs in the vertical jump was Kyle Exume, who impressed everyone in attendance with a solid 39 inch vertical.
“I just worked hard with my trainer and trusted in the things that I’ve been doing with him leading up to E-Camp,” said Exume.
“I was hoping to hit 40 but I’m still happy with 39,” he added.
In the broad jump it was one of Calgary’s talented offensive trio here at E-Camp, running back Matt Walter.
Walter continued to show why he is such a highly regarded prospect, posting a 10” 1.5’ jump to lead all running backs.
Defensive Backs and Receivers
When it comes to the jumps, the group everyone was waiting for, and the group who promised to post the best numbers, were the receivers and defensive backs.
Already one of the most highly regarded recruits and currently the #3 ranked player by the CFL’s Scouting Bureau, Anthony Parker did not disappoint.
Parker led all receivers with a broad jump of 10” 7’ and all players with a vertical of 43 inches”.
“I was definitely happy, 43 is a personal best for me,” said Parker.
“I feel like the broad and vertical jumps let me show everyone how explosive I can be and is part of what gives me the ability to have success going against some of the taller defensive backs,” he added.
As far as the men tasked with covering guys like Parker goes, they weren’t about to let the receivers take all the glory.
Laurier’s Shane Herbert jumped an impressive 41.5 inches in the vertical jump and York’s Andre Clark outdid Parker with a broad jump of 10’ 9.5”.
“I thought I had another inch in me for that vertical jump but overall I’m happy with how I did today,” said Herbert.
Now that the measurements and weigh-ins are behind us, players can prepare for the bread and butter of E-Camp weekend; individual drills and one-on-one’s.
Sunday represents a chance for each player to measure how they stack up against the top competition in their class, and means that it’s time for those that indulged in some friendly trash-talking on Saturday to put their money where their mouth is.
