Ticats .ca
Justin Dunk
Maurice Forbes wasn’t even planning to watch the 2011 CFL Draft on TSN, but his mother thought he should tune in and, like a good son, he listened.
“I was at home and spent draft day with my mom,” Forbes said. “I wasn’t even going to watch, I was trying to opt to just do my own thing and when I get the call I get the call, but my mom really wanted to share the moment with me.”
Forbes’ mother must have had a good feeling last Sunday, as her son was a second round selection (13th overall) by the Tiger-Cats.
“I heard a few rumours and was told I might go early, but I really didn’t count on it because I don’t like to listen to stuff like that,” Forbes said. “When the second round came I was more happy for guys like Junior Turner, someone I trained with, to see him [get drafted] and then I got a call a few picks later from Hamilton saying that they were going to pick me and then I was pretty ecstatic.”
The selection provided a sense of relief for Forbes, as he was forced to battle through some injuries each of the past two CIS football seasons, which made Forbes doubt his pro football aspirations.
“(After being drafted), I was finally able to exhale,” Forbes said.
A late edition to the 2011 CFL Evaluation Camp, Forbes ran with the opportunity to show his skills in front of pro scouts and coaches.
“I did have the two knee injuries and those really caused me to be taken off the radar in terms of being a prospect,” Forbes said. “Not too many teams knew who I was so when I had the opportunity to be a late edition to the evaluation camp I really took advantage of it.”
The Concordia University product put up 22 reps on the bench press and showed great speed and quickness — especially for a big eater — in the one-on-one pass rush session, which sent him rocketing up CFL draft boards and eventually landing with the Ticats.
“I just had to focus on the things I could control. I had no control over whether I was going to be picked, where I was going to be picked, all I could control was whether I worked out and had a good showing at E-camp,” Forbes said. “Coach Bellefeuille and our defensive coordinator (Corey Chamblin) called me and congratulated me. From that moment on I felt part of the Ticats family, they really seemed to want me there.”
Speaking in X’s and O’s the Ticats coaching staff feels Forbes will best fit at the one technique spot on defence.
“We really thought Forbes was the best nose guard coming out. He’s real quick, athletic, good hands, a player that we really felt can strengthen the interior of our defence,” said Ticats head coach, Marcel Bellefeuille.
“I’m happy and very pleased that they view me as a person that fits into their scheme and fits into their future,” Forbes said.
The Toronto native knows he must prepare diligently for his first professional training camp.
“I need to grow in all aspects of my own athleticism. That is strength, quickness, speed, power, getting off the ball quickly because when I get to camp I have no time to improve those things,” Forbes said. “It’s all about learning the playbook, coming in and being able to compete. I am going to do my best to try and show the fans and the organization that I was worthy of the 13th overall pick.”
The hefty defensive lineman is actually hoping to gain some weight in advance of training camp.
“I just want to gain a little bit of weight going into camp,” Forbes said. “It’s funny to say because lots of people still think I’m the 300 pound guy that was at school last year, but I actually weighed in at 275 pounds at E-camp.”
Forbes is certainly familiar with the blue-collar, bring your lunch box kind of play that resembles the city of Hamilton.
“I think I fit the personality of this team perfectly. I work very hard and I’m a high-motor guy,” Forbes said. “I’m just really ecstatic that I went to a great organization like Hamilton.”
