Johany Jutras/CFL
CFL.ca Staff
TORONTO — As the dust settles and the smoke clears following the 2015 CFL National Combine, the draft outlook may be no less a mystery than it was about a month ago.
Record-breaking test results and strong showings in one-on-ones propelled some names to the top of the charts, while no one seemed to truly decimate their stock with a subpar performance.
With the draft about a month and two weeks away, the athletes have put forward their best effort for everyone to see. Now all that’s left is the waiting game.
With some help from CFL.ca Combine Insider Justin Dunk, here’s some speculation based on last weekend’s performances:
1. Byron Archambault had a great showing at the combine, but is he the number one linebacker on the board?
Justin Dunk isn’t so sure. Archambault, a proven performer in the CIS ranks, came into the weekend with something to prove. That he did, breaking a linebacker record with 41 reps on the bench press (second all-time) while placing first in the shuttle (4.18) and fourth in the three-cone (7.16).
Yes, Archambault was a testing monster, but while fans have him touted as the top linebacker on the board going into the CFL Draft, he’s facing stiff competition going in.
“Byron needed to come into the combine and show he was athletic enough to play in the CFL and I think he proved that,” said Dunk. “I wouldn’t say Bryon is the top linebacker in the 2015 draft class.”
“He is a hard-working and talented player in a strong linebacker group,” he added. “It’s always tough to predict where a player might be selected in the draft, but I could see him being a mid-round pick.”
2. We’ve heard mostly about receivers and offensive linemen heading into the draft, but whispers are that this linebacker group is quickly on the rise after the weekend’s showing.
Archambault is the linebacker we hear of most, but as Dunk pointed out in the previous point, he may not be the number one player at the position. If the 2015 Combine’s testing monster isn’t the top-ranked linebacker, who else are we looking at?
“Adrian Clarke, Blair Smith and Ron Omara really stood out at the combine,” said Dunk. “Adam Konar has a lot of good game film. Auston Johnson will be a productive linebacker after he drops some weight.”
Clarke tested well in all areas and led all linebackers in the 40. Omara also had a high 40, and he showed his versatility by lining up in drills with the defensive linemen – and doing well up against the country’s top pass-blockers.
Auston Johnson, meanwhile, emerged through the regional combine, then days later held his own in Toronto at the National Combine.
Chris Ackie, Dunk added, is the X-factor of them all.
“Don’t forget that combine star Chris Ackie is being looked at by some teams as a linebacker, too,” said Dunk.
Ackie was listed as a defensive back going into the combine, but he’s reportedly picking up interest as a linebacker. In combine tests he was dominant, setting a record in the broad jump with a leap of 10’11.50”.
He also topped the vertical with a 40-inch jump while placing third in the three-cone drill with a 7.09. His 4.67 time was also impressive, especially if he’s graded as a linebacker.
“Overall it’s a deep class of linebackers with players who will contribute on special teams right away.”
3. Forget the passport – national talent is getting a lot better.
While the CFL Draft is usually heralded for its talent on the offensive line, players at skill positions put on a display of pure athleticism this weekend. Dunk said it’s come to a point where it doesn’t matter whether your passport is American or Canadian – there are good Nationals capable of filling skill positions available in the draft.
Tevaughn Campbell and Shaquille Murray-Lawrence are two examples of how Canadian talent is on the rise.
“You come here every year and you think the athletes are better, bigger, stronger and faster,” started Dunk. “But to see the electronic 40 record broken twice in one day was just an awesome display.”
“I think it shows that you don’t need to look at a player based on his passport – that these Canadian kids are legitimate football players, it doesn’t matter what side of the border they were born on.”
Both players ran track back in high school, so the records shouldn’t come as a major surprise. Still, with strong testing results this weekend, they’ll both be on the minds of scouts come draft day.
Campbell’s record-breaking electronic 40 time was 4.35 (which you can see again right here).
“That is superfast,” said Dunk. “That’s up there with NFL-type speed. There weren’t many guys at the NFL combine that ran that fast.”
“What it does is it shows that they’re explosive,” added Dunk on the outlook of Murray-Lawrence and Campbell. “Shaquille Murray-Lawrence can be a running back, and Tevaughn Campbell can be a corner in this league because he has that kind of speed.”
4. Who has the edge going into the draft: Lemar Durant or Nic Demski?
It’s a straightforward question without a true answer. Both have an extremely high pedigree and a proven track record coming into the draft, and both project to be game-breaking CFL receivers.
Furthermore, over the weekend, both tested extraordinarily well. They each exceeded their expected 40 times, with Durant’s 4.55 ranking him fourth and Demski’s 4.56 ranking him fifth.
Demski blasted the competition in the three-cone drill, finishing with a 6.91 – well ahead of second-place Phillip Enchill’s 7.06. Demski also finished second in the shuttle by a mere tenth of a second behind Byron Archambault with a 4.19.
Durant was no less impressive, however, breaking a receiver record in the bench press with 26 reps while also placing fourth in the vertical jump with a 36-inch vertical.
Dunk said he gives the nod to Durant, who declared for the draft late (thus why he’s not included in December’s Scouting Bureau rankings) but has likely rocketed up draft charts across the CFL.
“He’s 232 pounds – I feel like I’ve said that a thousand times – but he’s 232 pounds,” reiterated Dunk. “He has that vertical so he can box out people, and that frame you just don’t find too often. And they’re the same speed.”
“When in doubt, I’m going to go with the bigger, thicker receiver,” Dunk continued. “That’s not to say Demski isn’t a great prospect himself and he might’ve had a better one-on-one session than Durant did, but that could just be an off day.”
“Right now I’d go with Durant.”
5. In a year touted for depth on the O-line, is it totally inconceivable that a receiver could be the number one overall pick?
More on the topic of receivers: We know that Durant is rising fast among CFL draft boards, and Dunk says he has game-breaking talent. We’ve also heard some analysts argue that this is one of the best drafts in a long time, especially as far as offensive linemen go.
With that said, is it possible that the Ottawa REDBLACKS (or a team trading up) flips the script and takes the receiver first overall?
Dunk said he’s starting to hear some whispers that it’s not out of the question.
“You hear whispers about that, and teams play it so close to the vest,” said Dunk. “I think he’s certainly a guy that’s gonna go in the first round, and he has that type of rare talent that you can see why he’s in the discussion to go number one.”
“I think that’s definitely a legitimate point.”
It’ll lead to an interesting month or so leading up to the draft, as so far there’s no certain answer as to who will be the number one pick. Consequently, the rest of the draft is also entirely in question.
Whatever happens at number one and the rest of the way should probably come as a surprise to no one.
