Jamie Nye
CFL.ca
As the helmet of Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Buck Pierce hit the ground last Sunday, Craig Butler officially introduced himself to the Canadian Football League.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders rookie’s highlight reel sack, two interceptions and six tackles in the Banjo Bowl was further proof for why the team drafted him with their first pick in the 2011 Canadian Draft.
After trading down from the seventh overall pick, the Roughriders first selection was twelfth overall.
The patience paid off. General Manager Brendan Taman and Vice President of Football Operations Ken Miller had two options: pick one of three offensive linemen they were interested in or go with Butler.
“We felt one of our offensive linemen would be around when we picked 15th and I didn’t think Butler was going to fall much further,” Taman explains. “We felt there was a pretty major drop off to the next defensive back. The theory was: take him now so we didn’t lose him before 15.”
Butler is now one interception shy of the league lead and has cemented himself as the team’s starting safety.
His solid play while all-star safety James Patrick was injured earlier in the year allowed the team to make the switch and move Patrick to linebacker.
“Butler’s got such a knack for the ball. We didn’t know that would carry over from college to the pros this quick. We thought he’d be a pretty good special teams player but didn’t know he’d make the transition to safety this quick.”
The Roughriders have now gone back to back years making the right decision with their first overall selection.
In 2010, the team made sure they got the player they wanted rather than wait and see. However, they had to make a trade up to get defensive end Shomari Williams.
The Roughriders had the second and fourth overall picks, and believed Williams would be more likely to commit to Saskatchewan than others worthy of a top four selection.
So they traded those picks to Toronto for the first overall selection.
Today, Williams has two sacks and leads the team with 11 special teams tackles in his second season. Third and fourth overall pick Cory Greenwood and Danny Watkins, meanwhile, are enjoying their time in the National Football League.
Taman says Williams is a player that continues to get better and better overall.
“He played probably about 20 some defensive plays this last game and was around the ball. But he’s playing so well on special teams that if he moves to a starter on defence his play may drop down on teams.”
“He’s pretty much where I thought he’d be as a great special teams guy and doing well in spot duty on defense.”
Truth be told, these two haven’t been the only picks the Roughriders are proud to have made with Taman and Miller in control.
In actuality, there was one player Taman had on his draft board in 2011 that was higher than Craig Butler. Taman says he had kicker Christopher Milo in his top 10 knowing there may be a need at kicker if Luca Congi’s knee injury lingered on longer than expected.
So when Milo was available at the 30th overall selection, the Roughriders couldn’t wait any longer.
“For him to slip that far when we needed a guy like that, it was a flat out miracle.”
Milo ranks high in the league in net punting, although it was another aspect of his game Taman thought would make an immediate impact.
“If you would have asked me now that given the choice of him being 10 for 12 on field goals or third in the league in net punting I would have said field goals. We thought his forte was his field goals, with the ability to punt.”
Although his field goal percentage leaves room for improvement, Milo has played well enough that Miller says it’s difficult for the team to make room for Congi on the roster.
Taman also says receiver Jordan Sisco (2010; second round, eighth overall), offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld (2010; fifth round, 33rd overall) and offensive lineman Alex Krausnick-Groh (2011; fourth round, 27th overall) are all promising young players that should make up a good part of the non-import core of the team in years to come.
Despite what’s ahead for these young Roughriders, the time is now for them to make an impact on the fortunes of the Saskatchewan Roughriders this season.
Although Buck Pierce would argue, Craig Butler has already made his.
