International Bowl alum goes first overall in 2017 CFL Draft

Four former Junior National Team players selected on Sunday

Photo credit: USA Football (Eli Ankou makes a tackle as John Rush, left, and Evan Gill, right, swarm the ball)

A total of 23 players selected in the 2017 CFL Draft participated in Football Canada’s high performance programs which includes the Football Canada Cup, International Bowl and national teams.

With the top pick on Sunday, May 7 the Winnipeg Blue Bombers selected Faith Ekakitie, an International Bowl alumnus (2012 IFAF World Team) out of the University of Iowa.

Two picks later the BC Lions nabbed McMaster Marauder standout receiver Daniel Vandervoort. The 2011 Canada Cup (Ontario East) alum won the 2013 Peter Gorman Trophy (rookie of the year).

With their second pick in the opening round, the Blue Bombers rolled the dice on hometown product Geoff Gray. The Bombers will have to wait and see how the University of Manitoba product does in his NFL audition as the offensive lineman recently signed as a priority free-agent with the Green Bay Packers. Gray participated in the 2011 Football Canada Cup with Team Manitoba.

To end the opening round, the Ottawa REDBLACKS selected offensive lineman Evan Johnson out of the University of Saskatchewan. Johnson was the third Canada Cup alum to get selected in the opening round, having participated in the 2011 national championship with Saskatchewan.

Four Junior National Team alumni were selected on Sunday, including three who helped Canada to gold at the 2012 IFAF U19 World Championship in Austin, Texas.

JS Roy was the first of the 2012 trio to go off the board as the Laval o-line product was selected in the second round by Edmonton. Roy’s teammate at both Laval and with the 2012 national team, Edward Godin was selected in the fifth round by the BC Lions. Godin earned first-team all-tournament honours for his stellar performance at the 2012 IFAF U19 World Championship in Austin, Texas.

The last of the 2012 trio, Tylor Henry, who stood out with a pair of majors at last year’s East-West Bowl was selected in the eighth round by Winnipeg. A pick later, the BC Lions selected receiver Mitch Hillis. With the selection, Hillis became the first 2014 Junior National Team player to get drafted into the CFL.

2017 CFL Draft results

Full draft results here.