Top prospects take the leap on Combine Saturday

TORONTO — Canada’s top amateur football prospects looked to raise the bar and jump up the draft board on Saturday, as the bench press and vertical took centre stage at the CFL Combine.

Laval offensive lineman Philippe Gagnon showed why he’s the CFL Scouting Bureau’s 13th ranked prospect, tying the third-highest total in combine history with 40 reps in the bench press. Meanwhile, Toronto native and receiver Llevi Noel jumped near the top of the leaderboard with a 36-inch vertical, also reinforcing his status as a highly-touted draft prospect.

“I’m pretty happy,” said Gagnon, one of five players representing Laval at the combine. “It’s a personal best so that’s pretty sweet. I always want to do better than I can, so right at the end test I squeezed out one, two, three reps more – but with a cold, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.”

While Gagnon surely boosted his draft stock with a solid outing Saturday, Noel said his results left more to be desired, despite a 36-inch vertical.

“I definitely think I could’ve done better,” said Noel. “I’m not particularly happy with my results but I’ve got some more time until the draft so I’ll be working.”

He’ll look to put Saturday behind him with a solid number in the 40-yard dash, an area of strength for Noel, as well as in the one-on-one drills up against some of the top defensive prospects in the country.

Also impressive on Saturday were Brian Jones, a 6-foot-4 receiver who pressed 24 reps and jumped 34 inches, and receiver Felix Faubert-Lussier, who also pressed 24 reps and just edged Jones with a 34.5-inch jump.

“With their impressive performances on the bench and in the vertical, we’ll see if they can show the speed required to make plays at the next level,” said CFL.ca Combine Insider Justin Dunk.

Faubert-Lussier may have done the most for his stock, a receiver who showed he has the versatility to contribute in other ways on offence.

“Scouts think he could be a versatile player on offence that could play in the slot, lineup at H-back or fullback spots. With the thickness, strength and overall athleticism, he’s proving that he can be that type of player.”

At the end of the day, added Edmonton Eskimos defensive coordinator Mike Benevides, teams had a chance to add another piece to the puzzle as far as evaluating the league’s next generation of players.

“I think the biggest thing in the testing phase is everyone’s strong and consistent, and you can really see who’s dedicated themselves to the bench press and things like that,” said Benevides. “But it’s really just scratching the surface to see how they’re doing physically.

“It’s always impressive and it’s always interesting to see exactly who performs under the lights,” he added. “You can see a lot of different things but it’s really just part of the puzzle.”

A total of 51 players tested at the University of Toronto’s Goldring Centre on Saturday, officially kicking the week’s testing full into overdrive.

Combine Saturday Quick Clicks

REWIND: Watch the 2016 bench press
WATCH: Gagnon notches bench press best
LEADERBOARD: Saturday’s best of the best
THE 3 STARS: Justin Dunk’s Saturday Stars
1-ON-1: Gagnon a monster on the bench
1-ON-1: Noel tops Saturday’s hops

Strongest Man: Gagnon dominates the bench

Strength is an important aspect when it comes to evaluation, and on Saturday there was no doubting who was the strongest man in the room. Four players tied with 27 reps but in the end Philippe Gagnon blew the competition away.

“The number one story has to be Gagnon,” said Dunk. “Gagnon’s showing on the bench was special because it displayed his impressive muscle stamina.”

Gagnon came into the day ranked 13 on the most recent CFL Scouting Bureau, the fourth-ranked offensive lineman on the board with his Laval teammate Charles Vaillancourt among those ahead of him. But a 40 on the bench press, the third-highest mark all-time at a CFL Combine, could change things.

“Coming into the combine, there were some scouts who thought Gagnon and not Charles Vaillancourt was the best offensive lineman in this draft,” said Dunk. “He provided some proof of that on Saturday.”

Benevides echoed the belief that Gagnon’s effort on the bench press only solidifies his status as a top prospect.

“It’s very impressive, because a lot of times there have been a lot of great bench-pressers set records but that individual has never played professional football,” Benevides said. “With Philippe it’s a different deal.”

BENCH PRESS RESULTS

*Denotes regional combine result

While Gagnon took all the headlines, he wasn’t the only one standing out in the combine’s strongest man competition. Faubert-Lussier and Brian Jones were the two top receivers on the day, while McGill running back Devon Stewart was among four players who tied for second with 27 reps.

14th-ranked prospect Jason Lauzon-Seguin, another Laval product, was also part of that group, while Laval’s sixth-ranked Vaillancourt had 24 reps.

It’s no coincidence you’re hearing the name Laval a lot, as all five players representing the Rouge et Or benched at least 22 reps.

“It just shows the commitment of the program and how dedicated those kids are,” said Benevides.

Jumping up the Board? Late invite turns heads

Shaquille Johnson vowed to improve his numbers and on Saturday he did (Pawel Dwulit/CFL.ca)

Toronto native Noel was one of the top jumpers on Saturday but wasn’t happy with his result, while UBC’s Nicholas Termansen remains atop the vertical leaderboard after sitting on his 39.5″ jump at last Monday’s Edmonton Regional Combine.

Who helped himself the most with Saturday’s vertical? Perhaps the athletic Shaquille Johnson, who tested for the second time in three days after advancing through the Toronto Regional Combine.

While some of the eight who moved on from Thursday opted to pass on this weekend’s testing, Johnson hoped to improve his numbers and did just that by jumping 34.5 inches.

“I think what it tells you is he wants it,” Benevides said of Johnson’s decision to test on one day’s rest. “It’s easy for them to say ‘no, I’m good with that result’, so it shows want-to.

“It shows a level of confidence and this is professional sports – if you’re going to bet on anybody, you’ve got to bet on yourself.”

Faubert-Lussier tied Johnson’s mark of 34.5 inches, capping off an outstanding day for the Laval pass-catcher.

“Faubert was one of my top non-Scouting Bureau prospects to watch coming into the combine, and he showed why on Saturday,” said Dunk. “He’s well put together and also explosive, showing that off with his high vertical leap.”

VERTICAL RESULTS

*Denotes regional combine result

Brian Jones, who tied Faubert with 24 reps on the bench press, was just behind him with a 34-inch vertical. The powerful 6-foot-4 receiver from Acadia ranked 18th overall on the Scouting Bureau answered some important questions on Saturday.

“It’s impressive to see a receiver with his kind of size leap as high as he can,” said Dunk. “At 6-foot-4, 233 pounds, Jones carries a chiseled frame and looks like a slotback who could come in and contribute early in his career.

“He’s got the strength required to come into the box and block if needed, or absorb a hit across the middle when catching a pass.

“His arrow is already pointing up and we’re only through Saturday of the combine.”

All Set for Sunday: One last chance

High-ranked prospect Brian Jones will look to improve his stock even more on Sunday (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)

The day everyone comes to watch, Sunday provides one last chance for most prospects to raise their stock ahead of May’s CFL Draft.

All eyes will be on the 40-yard dash, as the combine’s top athletes look to prove they possess arguably football’s most important attribute: speed.

“The marquee event on Sunday is the 40-yard dash, and there could be some competition for the fastest man at the combine in 2016,” said Dunk.

Mike Jones with his track background, Dunk suggests, should be considered the favourite for the combine’s top time. But Shaquille Johnson recorded the second-fastest time ever taken at a combine, a blazing 4.39 at Thursday’s Toronto Regional.

Noel, who has something to prove after what he described as a disappointing Saturday, should also be in the mix for the fastest player.

All three of the top contenders for the 40 will look to break the all-time record of 4.35, set last season by defensive back Tevaughn Campbell.

Then of course there are the one-on-ones, which pit opposing top prospects up against one another in front of every eye in the building. While running backs take on linebackers and receivers look to beat coverage against DBs, the most highly-anticipated one-on-one comes in the trenches.

There, defensive linemen look to beat offensive linemen in a test that combines athleticism, determination, aggression and pure football skill.

For Gagnon, Saturday’s leader in the bench press, there’s plenty more at stake on Sunday.

“I believe the best is yet to come,” said Gagnon. “There are still a lot of tests and interviews to do this weekend.

“So far so good but I still have some time to open some eyes and show I can play at the next level.”