Pawel Dwulit/CFL.ca
CFL.ca Staff
With the promise of potential ‘future’ picks finally going off the board, the third round of this year’s CFL Draft came highly-anticipated – and it didn’t disappoint.
The Stampeders kicked things off with the addition of Yale running back Tyler Varga, the fourth-ranked player and top-ranked running back in the draft. He’s under contract with the Indianapolis Colts after going undrafted in the NFL, but there are questions over whether he’s big enough to become a fullback there.
In the CFL he’s got more than enough speed to be a running back and could be next in line behind arguably the greatest Canadian running back of all time in Jon Cornish.
At 20th overall the Ticats added their second linebacker in the draft, electing to go with Saint Mary’s linebacker and two-time AUS All-Star Jonathan Langa.
The Argos followed up with their second defensive lineman of the draft, taking University of Guelph’s Cameron Walker. Walker was a participant at the Toronto Regional Combine but not the National Combine.
The draft sped up after that, at least figuratively, with Tevaughn Campbell and Shaquille Murray-Lawrence going back to back at 22nd and 23rd overall.
Campbell, a highly-touted defensive back from the University of Regina, was expected to go higher in the draft after breaking an electronic record in the 40-yard dash at the National Combine. The Stampeders are happy to have him, adding a dynamic talent from close to home to their secondary.
The BC Lions added another Canadian element to their backfield, providing the lightning to Andrew Harris’ thunder with the selection of UNLV running back Shaquille Murray-Lawrence. Murray-Lawrence also broke an electronic 40 record at the combine, but it was only temporary as Campbell’s time surpassed it.
One of the draft’s big sleepers coming into the draft went to the Alouettes at 24th, as James Bodanis became the second O-lineman drafted by Montreal. Bodanis has big-time potential but hasn’t played a lot of offensive line after switching positions.
The Eskimos added a key future piece at linebacker and to their special teams unit, grabbing Adam Konar with the 25th pick from the University of Calgary.
After the Riders selected Rory Connop with the 26th pick, the Stamps capped off the third round by picking Sherbrooke running back William Langlais.
