Six Junior National Team alumni selected in CFL Draft

Photos courtesy of USA Football.

Six Junior National Team products were amongst the 70 players that heard their names called at the 2016 CFL Draft. In addition, 15 draftees competed at the Football Canada Cup while ten played in the International Bowl as part of the IFAF World Team. The three events represent Football Canada’s high performance pathway.

Five of the first round’s eight overall selections were offensive lineman including three from Laval. After trading down from third to fifth overall, the BC Lions selected two-time Canada Cup alum Charles Vaillancourt, who was in the conversation for the top overall pick. Before coming to Laval, the Champlain-Lennoxville product started at centre for the IFAF World Team in a 35-29, 2012 International Bowl victory over Team USA.

To end the opening round, Edmonton chose Tevaun Smith, a 2010 Canada Cup and two-time International Bowl alumnus. Edmonton’s selection is high-risk, high-reward as Smith was ranked second overall by the CFL Scouting Bureau heading into the draft but is currently under contract with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts. Before heading to Iowa, Smith earned 2011 International Bowl MVP honors and played a large part in the 2012 victory with a 17-yard touchdown catch.

Calgary Dinos running back Mercer Timmis was the first Junior National Team alumnus to hear his name called in 2016. The Burlington native was selected 14th overall by his hometown Ticats, the same team his great grandfather once played for and coached.

Mehdi Abdesmad, the only draftee in this year’s class to have played in the Canada Cup, International Bowl and on the Junior National Team, was selected in the third round, 25th overall by Ottawa. The Montreal native was ranked third overall in the class but his stock also carries risk as he recently signed with the Tennessee Titans.

In addition to Timmis, four other members of Canada’s gold medal winning entry at the 2012 IFAF U19 World Championship in Austin, Texas were selected on Tuesday night. Linebacker and skilled long-snapper Pierre-Luc Caron was selected in the 5th round by Calgary. In round six, speedy Guelph receiver out of Halifax, A’dre Fraser went 47th overall to Montreal while Edmonton closed out the round by selecting last year’s East-West Bowl MVP Doug Corby. Calgary’s eighth round selection, Quinn Horton was the last Team Canada alum to hear his name called by a CFL club in 2016.

2016 CFL Draft – Results