CFL Draft: 6 Junior National Team products go off the board

Photo courtesy of USA Football

Tuesday was a big night for Football Canada’s programs of excellence at the 2015 CFL draft as a total of 21 players which passed through the high performance pathway went off the board including six Junior National Team alumni. The high performance pathway also includes the Football Canada Cup and International Bowl.

Established in 1995 as an under-19 summer showcase the Football Canada Cup added an under-17 division in 2004, merging the divisions into a single U18 division in 2010 to better align with Football Canada’s Long-Term Athlete Development plan. The International Bowl was established in 2010 as an annual Team USA versus the World game played the week of NCAA signing day until 2014 when the event became a series of Canada-US games.

The Ottawa REDBLACKS opened the draft by selecting hometown centre Alex Mateas (UConn), ending the two year streak of Junior National Team first overall selections. Following the opening pick, there was a run of International Bowl alumni as Winnipeg selected Sukh Chungh 2^nd overall. Chungh’s Calgary Dino teammate Sean McEwen went third to the Argos while defensive back Chris Ackie (Laurier) went fourth overall to Montreal. Chungh, McEwen and Ackie all participated in the 2012 International Bowl as members of the IFAF World Team which handed Team USA their first loss in international competition.

Two Junior National Team alumni were also selected in the first round as Danny Groulx went off the board at 7 to Edmonton while his versatile Laval teammate Karl Lavoie went 9^th overall to Calgary. Sandwiched between the Team Canada picks, a 5^th Team World alum was selected in the opening round as Montreal took Jacob Ruby at 6.

The third Junior National Team alum to go off the board was Carabins linebacker Byron Archambault, selected 17^th overall by the Ticats. Tanner Doll became the first 2012 Junior National Team alumni to be selected in CFL draft history as the REDBLACKS opened the 4^th round by selecting the Calgary Dinos longsnapper, 28^th overall. Hamilton followed by selecting ’09 alum, Ron Omara at 29 while quarterback Brandon Bridge went off the board to Montreal at 31. Bridge was projected to be a late round NFL draft pick but had yet to find an NFL home at the time of the CFL draft. He has the potential to become the CFL’s first Canadian starting QB since Russ Jackson.

Full draft board here: http://cfl.ca/draft.

Junior National Team alumni drafted in 2015 

• Danny Groulx, OL, Laval: 7^th overall, Eskimos
• Karl Lavoie, OL, Laval: 9^th overall, Stampeders
• Byron Archambault, LB, Montreal: 17^th overall (rd. 2), Tiger-Cats
• Tanner Doll, LB, Calgary: 28 overall (round 4), REDBLACKS
• Ron Omara, LB, StFX: 29 overall (rd. 4), Tiger-Cats
• Brandon Bridge, QB, S. Alabama: 31 overall (rd. 4), Alouettes

International Bowl alumni drafted in 2015 

• 2010, 2012 – Sukh Chungh, OL, Calgary: 2^nd overall, Blue Bombers
• 2012 – Sean McEwen, OL, Calgary: 3^rd overall, Argonauts
• 2012 – Chris Ackie, DB, Laurier: 4^th overall, Alouettes
• 2010 – Danny Groulx, OL, Laval: 7^th overall, Eskimos
• 2010 – Jacob Ruby, OL, Richmond: 8^th overall, Alouettes
• 2011 – Jake Hardy, REC, Calgary: 10 overall (round 2), REDBLACKS
• 2012 – Daryl Waud, DL, Western: 12 overall (rd. 2), Argonauts
• 2010 – Byron Archambault, LB, Montreal: 17^th overall (rd. 2), Tiger-Cats
• 2011, 2012 – Tanner Doll, LS, Calgary: 28 overall (rd. 4), REDBLACKS
• 2010 – Brandon Bridge, QB, S. Alabama: 31 overall (rd. 4), Alouettes

Canada Cup alumni drafted in 2015 

• 2008 U17 MB – Nic Demski, REC, Manitoba: 6^th overall, Roughriders
• 2007 & 2008 U19 QC – Danny Groulx, OL, Laval: 7^th overall, Eskimos
• 2008 U17 QC – Karl Lavoie, OL, Laval: 9^th overall, Stampeders
• 2007 U17 N. AB, 2009 U19 AB – Jake Hardy, REC, Calgary: 10 (rd.2), REDBLACKS
• 2010 U18 SK – Addison Richards, REC, Regina: 11 (rd.2), Blue Bombers
• 2010 U18 ON W – Daryl Waud, DL, Western: 12 (rd.2), Argonauts
• 2007 U17, 2008 U19 QC – Byron Archambault, LB, Montreal: 17^th overall (rd. 2), Tiger-Cats
• 2010 U18 ON W – Tyler Varga, RB, Yale: 19 overall (rd. 3), Stampeders
• 2007 U17 ON W – Jonathan Langa, LB, St Mary’s: 20 overall (rd. 3), Tiger-Cats
• 2008 U19 AB – Rory Connop, DL, Western: 26 overall (rd. 3), Roughriders
• 2010 U18 AB – Tanner Doll, LS, Calgary: 28 overall (rd. 4), REDBLACKS
• 2007 U17 ON E – Ettore Lattanzio, DL, Ottawa,: 38 overall (rd. 5), Blue Bombers
• 2008 U17 ON E – Campbell Allison, OL, Eastern Michigan: 41 overall (rd. 5), Lions
• 2008 U17 N. AB – Dexter Janke, DB, Okanaghan Sun: 44 overall (rd. 5), Stampeders
• 2007 U17, 2008 U19 QC – Anthony Coady, DB, Montreal: 57 overall (rd. 7), Alouettes
• 2008 & 2009 U19 QC – Brandon Tennant, DL, Laval: 59 overall (rd. 7), Roughriders

2009 Junior National Team alumni on CFL rosters

• Lirim Hajrullahu, K, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• Jake Thomas, DL, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• Jesse Briggs, LB, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• Pierre Lavertu, OL, Calgary Stampeders
• Adam Thibault, DB, Calgary Stampeders
• Alex Anthony, REC, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• Kris Robertson, DB, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• Linden Gaydosh, DL, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• Carson Rockhill, DL, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• Kirby Fabien, OL, BC Lions
• David Menard, DL, BC Lions
• Steven Lumbala, RB, Montreal Alouettes (retired this off-season)

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