CALGARY – If the Canadian Football League’s Tuesday announcement is any indication, Sunday, May 8 could be a big day for Dinos football.
The CFL’s Scouting Bureau announced its final rankings of players eligible for the 2011 Canadian Draft, which goes May 8 and will be televised live by TSN. Four members of the University of Calgary Dinos made the list and could go in the top two rounds.
Leading the way once again is slotback Anthony Parker, who moves up one spot to No. 2 after holding down the third spot in each of the previous two rankings, which came out in September and December 2010. Parker, who represented western Canada at the East West Shrine Game in Orlando, Fla. in January, remains the highest-ranked prospect out of Canadian Interuniversity Sport.
Calgary wide receiver Nathan Coehoorn holds steady at No. 7, as does running back Matt Walter at No. 14. A newcomer to the list is offensive lineman Paul Swiston, who is ranked in the top 15 for the first time in the last spot.
A total of 10 CIS players were ranked. In addition to the four Calgary players, kicker Hugh O’Neill of Alberta rounds out the five Canada West players on the list.
There is a new top-ranked player on the final Scouting Bureau list as Rice University offensive lineman Scott Mitchell overtakes fellow O-lineman Philip Blake of Baylor at No. 1.
The 2011 CFL Canadian Draft kicks off at 10:30 a.m. MT on May 8. The first two rounds will be broadcast on TSN and the results from the remaining four rounds will be available through real-time updates on CFL.ca.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers currently hold the top pick. The last time the Blue Bombers selected first in the Canadian Draft was in 1975.
A year ago, former Queen’s defensive lineman Shomari Williams became the fourth straight CIS player – and the eighth in 11 years – to be selected first overall in the CFL Canadian Draft when his name was called by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The CFL’s Scouting Bureau is comprised of CFL scouts, player personnel directors and general managers from the league’s eight teams.
Since 1970, the Dinos have had 98 players drafted into the CFL – the most recent being running back Anthony Woodson, who was taken in the sixth round, 29th overall by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last season.
The Dinos hit the field for their annual spring camp from Friday, April 29 through Sunday, May 1 at McMahon Stadium.
CFL Top 15 Prospects – April 5, 2011
1. Scott Mitchell, OL, Rice – 6’4”, 295 lbs.
2. Anthony Parker, SB, Calgary – 6’2”, 215 lbs.
3. Henoc Muamba, LB, St. Francis Xavier – 6’, 230 lbs.
4. Philip Blake, OL, Baylor – 6’3”, 315 lbs.
5. Tyler Holmes, OL, Tulsa – 6’4”, 305 lbs.
6. Vaughn Martin, DL, Western Ontario – 6’4”, 330 lbs.
7. Nathan Coehoorn, WR, Calgary – 6’2”, 220 lbs.
8. Hugh O’Neill, K/P, Alberta – 6’2”, 185 lbs.
9. Marco Iannuzzi, WR, Harvard – 6’1”, 195 lbs.
10. Moe Petrus, OL, Connecticut – 6’2”, 292 lbs.
11. Matt O’Donnell, OL, Queen’s – 6’10”, 230 lbs.
12. Junior Turner, DL, Bishop’s – 6’3”, 230 lbs.
13. Anthony Barrette, OL, Concordia – 6’5”, 320 lbs.
14. Matt Walter, RB, Calgary – 5’10”, 210 lbs.
15. Paul Swiston, OL, Calgary – 6’9”, 342 lbs.
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About the Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League is our league. It's built on a tradition as proud, staged on a field as broad, and played at a pace as exciting as the country we are proud to call home. Our championship game, the Grey Cup, is the biggest single annual sporting event in Canada. For additional information, visit www.cfl.ca.
About Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada. Fifty-one universities, 10,000 student-athletes and 550 coaches vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. CIS also provides high performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, as well as numerous world university championships. For further information, visit www.cis-sic.ca.