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Looking back on the 2014 Canadian Football League season there were many nationals that made an impact in their respective rookie years.
It’s hard to consider any of the 2014 first round CFL Draft picks disappointments that played in the league this past season. Other guys further down the board didn’t do much at all and some fell completely off the face of the CFL football earth. And there were a few 2013 draftees that played well in their first pro season as well. So let’s take a look at the top 10 Canadian first-year performers from the 2014 season.
1) Antoine Pruneau, DB, Ottawa REDBLACKS
Acquired: 1st round pick, 4th overall in the 2014 CFL Draft.
Pruneau started 11 games at SAM linebacker – normally an American position – and made his mark. He racked up 69 tackles, two sacks and 11 special teams tackles in his rookie campaign. Pruneau is a long-term building block on defence for the REDBLACKS.
2) Nolan MacMillan, OL, Ottawa REDBLACKS
Acquired: 1st round pick, 9th overall in the 2013 CFL Draft.
Ottawa’s six-foot-six, 294-pound offensive lineman started every game up front for the first-year franchise. He graded out pretty high, too. MacMillan was the only Canadian rookie to start every game in 2014. He looks to be entrenched as a starter on the REDBLACKS offensive line for years to come.
3) Lirim Hajrullahu, K/P, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Acquired: Undrafted in 2013. Signed by the Blue Bombers as a free agent on January 17, 2014.
Hajrullahu made 40 of 46 field goal attempts, good for an 87 percent success rate in 2014 with a long of 51 yards. He finished fifth in the CFL with 153 kicking points. As a punter he put up a 43.8-yard average on 109 punts. A really productive year for Hajrullahu and it seems like he’s only going to improve.
4) Quinn Smith, DL, Calgary Stampeders
Acquired: 1st round pick, 7th overall in the 2014 CFL Draft.
Smith – an athletic defensive lineman – suited up in 11 games for the Stamps. He recorded 10 tackles, three tackles for a loss and four sacks. Smith played in the Western Final, recording two tackles, and was in the lineup for the Stampeders’ 2014 Grey Cup victory.
5) Andrew Lue, DB, Montreal Alouettes
Acquired: 2nd round pick, 10th overall in the 2014 CFL Draft.
Lue finished second in the CFL with 23 special teams tackles in 2014. He is only going to get better and see more playing time on defence in the future because of his smarts and toughness. Lue is going to be a hell of a player.
6) Brander Craighead, OL, Calgary Stampeders
Acquired: 1st round pick, 7th overall in the 2013 CFL Draft.
Craighead started seven games and if not for some injury trouble it would have been more, and he would be higher on this list. Nonetheless in Craighead, Calgary has a strong Canadian starter on the offensive line with a bright future.
7) Devon Bailey, REC, Edmonton Eskimos
Acquired: 1st round pick, 7th overall in the 2014 CFL Draft.
Edmonton’s physically gifted receiver gradually worked his way into a consistent role on the Eskimos offence in 2014. In 14 games, Bailey recorded 17 receptions for 219 yards. And No. 81 started at receiver in the Western Semi-Final and Western Final.
8) Pierre Lavertu, OL, Calgary Stampeders
Acquired: 1st round, 1st overall in the 2014 CFL Draft.
Lavertu played 15 games and started three for Calgary. He also played in the Western Final and Grey Cup for the Stampeders. Lavertu proved he has the capabilities to be a starting calibre offensive lineman in the CFL.
9) Scott Macdonell, REC, Ottawa REDBLACKS
Acquired: 2nd round, 13th overall in the 2014 CFL Draft.
Macdonell played about 40 percent of the offensive snaps on for Ottawa. He had 13 catches for 181 yards and one touchdown. The six-foot-five, 220-pound receiver seemed to become more comfortable as his rookie season wore on.
10) Anthony Coombs, RB/REC, Toronto Argonauts
Acquired: 1st round, 3rd overall in the 2014 CFL Draft.
After such a promising start to his career, Coombs had his rookie season cut short due to a torn labrum. He managed 22 catches for 214 yards and eight carries for 75 yards before suffering his season-ending injury. If Coombs had been healthy for the entire 2014 season he would be much higher on this list. Look for a healthy Coombs to continue to develop as an offensive playmaker in 2015.
Honourable Mentions
Dylan Ainsworth, DL, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Matthias Goossen, OL, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
