Bert Faibish
CFL.ca
While the true value of a draft class can’t be evaluated until several years down the road, all indications suggest that the Hamilton Tiger-Cats class of 2011 is going to be a winner.
The team began the day with a classic draft day maneuver: trading down. While fans aren’t always pleased with this kind of a move, conventional football wisdom states that if the player you targeted isn’t there or you feel will still be there later, trade down and stock pile draft choices. So that’s exactly what Marcel Bellefeuille did, trading the 5th overall selection for the 10th and 13th picks in the draft.
Once the Ticats did pick, they went for value and an eye to the future, selecting UConn’s Moe Petrus 10th overall. The offensive lineman from St. Laurant, QC was considered a first round talent going into the draft and will return to school for his senior season in 2011.
The fact that he had a year of NCAA eligibility left may have kept some teams from drafting him in the first round, but at the 10th overall selection he provides excellent value and uncharted potential. The coaches may see the next Marwan Hage when they look at film of Petrus.
Ticats fans didn’t have to wait long for their next pick, as they took Concordia defensive tackle Maurice Forbes with the 13th overall selection. Forbes is a force in the middle and at 6’3, 300 lbs has the size to dominate opposing offensive linemen.
With the selection of Eddie Steele last year and Matt Kirk back for a third season, the Ticats now have three interior defensive linemen that could form a formidable rotation.
In the third round the Ticats made back-to-back picks with the 20th and 21st overall sections and took back-to-back players from the Laval Rouge et Or. Defensive lineman Marc-Antoine Fortin and offensive lineman Pascal Baillargeon can at least guarantee they’ll have someone to room with in the future.
Baillargeon, a 6’5 300 lb native of St. Anselme, QC brings size and toughness to a deep position group for Hamilton. While the Ticats may not be in desperate need of a Canadian tackle, Baillargeon could have a much larger impact down the road after he recovers from injuring his ACL at E-Camp. It’s doubtful that Baillargeon will be ready for 2011.
Fortin adds some versatility with his ability to play along the defensive line and long-snap and will have the chance to contribute on special teams right away. He also brings tremendous strength and quickness to an already athletic group. So much so that one position coach commented that, “this kid could be on the field for the first play of this season.”
With their later-round picks, the Ticats staff looked to the future.
Hamilton drafted Patrick Jean-Mary from Howard with the 33rd overall pick, an athletic linebacker that will need to make a name for himself on special teams. Three picks later, they added Weber State’s Tyrell Francisco, a player with the ability to block from the fullback position or catch the ball as a tight end. Francisco’s initial role will be on special teams but could endear himself to the coaching staff if he can transfer his tough-blocking style from Division I to the CFL.
The final pick of the draft may be the most intriguing while also holding the most upside. With the 44th overall pick in the draft, the Ticats selected BYU’s Jadon Wagner. Assistant GM Joe Womack admitted that, “I had this kid going in the first round in my mock draft.”
In fact many people, including Wagner himself, were surprised by his slide on draft day but no one is more pleased than the Tiger-Cats coaching staff. An athletic linebacker than can run down defenders in the open field, Wagner will be looked upon as the future at linebacker in Hamilton.
Even though fans prefer to have a draft where they can identify a number of immediate potential starters, the Ticats shift in focus from immediate contributors to future players mirrors their shift from work-in-progress to contender.
The lack of real glaring needs has enabled Hamilton’s staff to draft players that may not make an impact for a couple of years but could really pay off in the long run. After all, better is better.
