April 24, 2015

Golden Hawks' Ackie & Mrabure-Ajufo selected back-to-back in first round of CFL Draft

OTTAWA (CIS) – Sukh Chung, an offensive lineman from the University of Calgary, became the first CIS player selected in the 2015 CFL Canadian Draft when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers called his name at No. 2, on Tuesday evening.

OTTAWA (CIS) – Sukh Chung, an offensive lineman from the University of Calgary, became the first CIS player selected in the 2015 CFL Canadian Draft when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers called his name at No. 2, on Tuesday evening.

For all the information on the CFL Canadian Draft: www.cfl.ca

The first overall selection, by the Ottawa Redblacks, was offensive lineman Alex Mateas from the University of Connecticut, marking the first time since 2006 that a CIS player didn't top the charts.

Overall, 44 CIS standouts were selected out of 62 total picks (71%). The tally is the second best in league history, matching the 44 picks from 2013 (out of 60) and trailing only the whopping 59 CIS stars chosen a year ago out of 65 total selections.

Chungh was one of seven CIS players who went in the opening round on Tuesday, with seven more following in the second, six in the third, six in the fourth, five in the fifth, six in the sixth and seven in the final round.

Other CIS representatives to go in the top nine included Calgary offensive lineman Sean McEwen at No. 3 (Toronto), Wilfrid Laurier defensive back Chris Ackie at No. 4 (Montreal), Laurier defensive lineman Ese Mrabure-Ajufo at No. 5 (British Columbia), Manitoba receiver Nic Demski at No. 6 (Saskatchewan), as well as a pair of offensive linemen from Laval, Danny Groulx at No. 7 (Edmonton) and Karl Lavoie at No. 9 (Calgary).

Chungh, a 6-foot-4, 303-pound guard from Port Coquitlam, B.C., who earned all-Canadian status each of the past two seasons, held the No. 6 spot on the latest Top-20 prospect list released by the CFL Scouting Bureau on April 24, right behind Groulx, who was the top-ranked CIS player heading into the draft.

Led by Chungh and McEwen, Calgary topped all CIS schools with an impressive seven selections. Laval was second with five, followed by Montreal (4), Laurier (3), Guelph (3), Regina (3) and Western (3).

Of note, Dino quarterback Andrew Buckley, the reigning Hec Crighton Trophy and Russ Jackson Award winner, was called in the seventh round by his hometown Calgary Stampeders with the 62nd and final pick of the night.

"It's exciting," said U of C head coach Wayne Harris. "All the guys are well-deserved – it's a great group of young men that have made the commitment to excellence, and it has paid off for them tonight."

The six-team Canada West league was the most prolific of the four CIS conferences with 15 draftees, followed by the 11-team OUA (13), six-team RSEQ (12) and four-team AUS (4).

Linebackers proved the most popular CIS players (9), followed by receivers (8), offensive linemen (7), defensive linemen (7), defensive backs (6), running backs / fullbacks (6) and quarterbacks (1).

The 2015 CFL regular season gets underway on June 25th.

NOTES: Another player with ties to CIS was drafted on Tuesday as running back Tyler Varga, who was named the CIS rookie of the year with Western in 2011 before transferring to Yale in the NCAA, went to the Calgary Stampeders in the third round (19th overall)... Since 1965 (year of first Vanier Cup championship), 29 CIS players have been chosen with the first pick, including eight straight years from 2007 to 2014... All players selected first overall in the first nine CFL Canadian Drafts between 1956 and 1964 were also from schools currently competing in CIS... The 1983 and 1984 CFL Drafts opened with one Territorial Protection per team, so the first player drafted was the 10th overall choice... Each Draft from 1973 to 1982 opened with two Territorial Protections per team, so the first player drafted was the 19th overall choice.

CIS players selected in 2015 CFL Canadian Draft (44):

First Round (9 total selections)
2. Sukh Chungh, Calgary, OL (by Winnipeg)
3. Sean McEwen, Calgary, OL (by Toronto)
4. Chris Ackie, Wilfrid Laurier, DB (by Montreal)
5. Ese Mrabure-Ajufo, Wilfrid Laurier, DL (by British Columbia)
6. Nic Demski, Manitoba, REC (by Saskatchewan)
7. Danny Groulx, Laval, OL (by Edmonton)
9. Karl Lavoie, Laval, OL (by Calgary)

Second Round (9 total selections)
1. (10th overall) Jake Harty, Calgary, REC (by Ottawa)
2. (11th overall) Addison Richards, Regina, REC (by Winnipeg)
3. (12th overall) Daryl Waud, Western, DL (by Toronto)
4. (13th overall) Nick Shortill, McMaster, LB (by Montreal)
6. (15th overall) Brendan Morgan, Queen's, DB (by Winnipeg)
7. (16th overall) David Beard, Alberta, OL (by Edmonton)
8. (17th overall) Byron Archambault, Montreal, LB (by Hamilton)

Third Round (9 total selections)
2. (20th overall) Jonathan Langa, Saint Mary's, LB (by Hamilton)
3. (21st overall) Cameron Walker, Guelph, DL (by Toronto)
4. (22nd overall) Tevaughn Campbell, Regina, DB (by Calgary)
7. (25th overall) Adam Konar, Calgary, LB (by Edmonton)
8. (26th overall) Rory Connop, Western, DL (by Saskatchewan)
9. (27th overall) William Langlais, Sherbrooke, FB (by Calgary)

Fourth Round (9 total selections)
1. (28th overall) Tanner Doll, Calgary, LB (by Ottawa)
2. (29th overall) Ron Omara, StFX, LB (by Hamilton)
3. (30th overall) Matthew Norzil, Laval, REC (by Toronto)
5. (32nd overall) Adrian Clarke, Bishop's, LB (by British Columbia)
6. (33rd overall) Christophe Normand, Laval, RB (by Winnipeg)
9. (36th overall) Alex Charette, Guelph, REC (by Montreal)

Fifth Round (8 total selections)
2. (38th overall) Ettore Lattanzio, Ottawa, DL (by Winnipeg)
3. (39th overall) Dillon Campbell, Wilfrid Laurier, RB (by Toronto)
4. (40th overall) Mikhaïl Davidson, Montreal, REC (by Montreal)
6. (42nd overall) Kwame Adjei, Mount Allison, DB (by Saskatchewan)
8. (44th overall) Dexter Janke, Saskatchewan, DB (by Calgary)

Sixth Round (9 total selections)
1. (45th overall) Kienan LaFrance, Manitoba, RB (by Ottawa)
2. (46th overall) Justin Warden, Bishop's, LB (by Winnipeg)
3. (47th overall) Tyler Langlais, Calgary, DL (by Saskatchewan)
6. (50th overall) Melvin Abankwah, Saint Mary's, RB (by Saskatchewan)
8. (52nd overall) Daniel English, UBC, REC (by Hamilton)
9. (53rd overall) Aaron Picton, Regina, OL (by Calgary)

Seventh Round (9 total selections)
1. (54th overall) Alexandre Laganière, Montreal, OL (by Ottawa)
2. (55th overall) Kevin Bradfield, Toronto, REC (by Toronto)
3. (56th overall) Dan MacDonald, Guelph, RB (by Toronto)
4. (57th overall) Anthony Coady, Montreal, DB (by Montreal)
6. (59th overall) Brandon Tennant, Laval, DL (by Saskatchewan)
8. (61st overall) Preston Huggins, Western, LB (by Hamilton)
9. (62nd overall) Andrew Buckley, Calgary, QB (by Calgary)

CIS players selected by round (44):

First round: 7
Second: 7
Third: 6
Fourth: 6
Fifth: 5
Sixth: 6
Seventh: 7

CIS players selected by regional association (44):

Canada West: 15
OUA: 13
RSEQ: 12
AUS: 4

CIS players selected by university (44):

Calgary: 7
Laval: 5
Montreal: 4
Guelph: 3
Regina: 3
Western: 3
Wilfrid Laurier: 3
Bishop's: 2
Manitoba: 2
Saint Mary's: 2
Alberta: 1
McMaster: 1
Mount Allison: 1
Ottawa: 1
Queen's: 1
Saskatchewan: 1 *
Sherbrooke: 1
StFX: 1
Toronto: 1
UBC: 1 *