Calgary Stampeders GM Dave Dickenson lauds talent ahead of CFL Draft

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Dave Dickenson acquired a glimpse of the longer term on the CFL Mix.

The Calgary Stampeders GM/head coach hopes it’s a constructive look ahead …

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Particularly if it helps him select properly on the 2024 CFL Draft late subsequent month.

“Yeah … we acquired wants,” mentioned Dickenson, whose group completed 6-12 in final yr’s common season earlier than being bounced by the BC Lions within the West Division semifinal tilt. “I believe the way you do within the Canadian draft goes to take your group a great distance.

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“So selecting greater than we’ve prior to now, we simply need to be sure that to make it rely and discover some good gamers.”

Certainly, the Stamps draft from the No. 4 spot within the annual pick-em after ending fourth-last within the standings.

Whereas that slot ensures them a shot at a extremely prized prospect, it doesn’t assure Dickenson and his drafting division are in a position to safe a top-available Canadian draft-eligible expertise popping out of the NCAA and U SPORTS ranks.

That’s as a result of an increasing number of Canadians are getting seen by the NFL scouts, giving them extra choices to strive their hand at four-down soccer as an alternative of heading straight to the CFL.

“I do discover an increasing number of Canadians are sticking extra within the States, which makes our job just a little harder,” mentioned Dickenson, waiting for the April 30 draft day. “It’s who do you draft? And are you simply form of on their ready record? That’s the massive problem for us.

“The Canadian abilities have gotten higher, which suggests the American NFL sport has taken word. They appear to be staying down there longer and making a huge impact down there, which makes our job just a little harder up right here within the CFL to draft guys that you could be not essentially ever see.”

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Cue the CFL mix, which was held over 5 days final week in Winnipeg, to assist scouts and common managers negotiate the athletes’ skills and drive to play the three-down sport.

Upwards of 90 Canadian footballers took to the camp to showcase their wares — in health testing and on-field drills — for CFL gurus, together with Dickenson.

“I believe we actually benefit from the padded elements of the mix,” mentioned the Stampeders boss. “Numerous instances, we name it the Olympics, that means that with the testing outcomes, you need a sure customary of athlete.

“However I I actually benefit from the precise practices — who performs with leverage, who understands the place to take a seat down within the zones as receiver, safety for operating again alongside the offensive line …

“I imply … I simply actually like the best way we do it. I just like the on-field practices with extra soccer drills slightly than simply straight operating the Olympic-type of drills. We get rather a lot out of it. We’re in a position to actually have a look at these guys and consider them on extra than simply their bodily athleticism.”

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As for the on-field stars, loads of prospects caught out in the course of the mix held on the Winnipeg Soccer Federation indoor facility and at The Fort Garry Lodge.

Amongst them had been: Quarterback Jack Zergiotas (Montreal, NCAA Merrimack); operating again Matthew Peterson (Brooks, Alta., U SPORTS Alberta); receivers Ezechiel Tieide (Lachine, Que., U SPORTS Concordia) and Kevin Mital (Saint-Hubert, Que., U SPORTS Laval); offensive linemen George Una (Toronto, U SPORTS Windsor) and Nathaniel Dumoulin-Duguay (Rimouski, Que., U SPORTS Laval); defensive linemen Adrian Gonzalez (Mexico, NCAA Jap Michigan) and Owen Hubert (Norwood, Ont., U SPORTS McMaster); linebacker Eteva Mauga-Clements (American Samoa, NCAA Nebraska); and defensive backs Tyshon Blackburn (Calgary, U SPORTS Alberta), Arthur Hamlin (Ottawa, NCAA Colgate) and Jerrell Cummings (Vancouver, U SPORTS UBC).

“I believe the league has opened up fairly a bit,” mentioned Dickenson, of drafting Canadians at any place. “At operating again — whether or not you need to declare that Jerome Messam and Jon Cornish and people guys form of modified the tide there — it looks like Canadian operating backs are doing higher and higher and higher.

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“After which the Canadian DBs and safeties are nearly as good as anyone, like (Montreal Alouettes’ Marc-Antoine Ducroix). After which now quarterback could be the form of final of the spots, and guys are making an impression there, as nicely, with (New England Patriots’) Nathan Rourke and (Edmonton Elks’) Tre Ford and different guys.

“So I simply assume you choose the man that matches your group and also you’re not too involved. All positions are huge open to be drafted and make it work in your group.”

The most effective elements of the annual mix, says Dickenson, is with the ability to rise up shut and private with prospects over the period of the occasion to make sure he’s a match for the group.

“I don’t need to put quite a lot of credence into what I hear,” Dickenson mentioned. “I need to see it with my eyes. I need to meet the individual. I need to discuss to him. I need to have an opportunity to work together with them. I really feel higher about that than perhaps taking any person’s phrase for it.

“All of us have a sure man we predict, ‘Oh, that’s a Calgary Stampeder.’ However for essentially the most half, I believe all of us need guys that soccer is a precedence and it’s vital to them they usually’re prepared to work by means of (points) and be a resilient man — any person that’s not going to, on the first signal of it not going your means, simply shut it down. These are the issues, I believe, that frustrate us essentially the most as coaches.”

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He factors to Canadian twins Jalen and Tyson Philpot — former College of Calgary Dinos standouts, with the previous now a receiver with the Stampeders — because the form of prospects to get enthusiastic about forward of the CFL Draft.

“I believe children have been getting taught from a younger age, and the Philpots are an instance of that, with their dad (former CFLer Cory) and that they’ve been going to camps. They’re good good soccer gamers that may compete with anyone.

“So Canadian athletes to me, I don’t actually prefer to label them, as a result of they’re simply as gifted (as People), they work simply as arduous and quite a lot of them have simply as a lot background now (than People),” added Dickenson. “I imply … once I first got here to the league, among the guys could be hockey gamers they usually simply began enjoying soccer once they went to college. In order that they had been simply good athletes, they usually had been nonetheless studying the sport. And I don’t assume that’s the case anymore.”

tsaelhof@postmedia.com

X: @ToddSaelhofPM

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