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Two Vert & Or in CFL draft: Giguere and Labbe |
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Hamilton Tiger-Cats general manager Bob O’Billovich got the players he wanted by selecting University of Saskatchewan defensive back Dylan Barker with the first pick in Wednesday’s Canadian Football League Canadian Draft, and later using the eighth pick to take explosive receiver and Sherbrooke native Samuel Giguere.
“We like those two players,” O’Billovich said after the selections. “We thought they were the top two players in the draft. We have to wait on Giguere because of the situation with the NFL, but that’s all right. As far as Dylan is concerned, he could be playing for a long time in this league. He’s one of the better athletes at that position I have seen in a long time.”
Vert & Or head coach Andre Bolduc said prior to the draft that Giguere would have been selected first overall if he hadn’t signed with the Indianapolis Colts earlier in the week.
“We were told that Sam would go first overall if he hadn’t signed with the Colts,” Bolduc reiterated yesterday. “The Colts know that he still has to learn about the game but I think they will be patient with him. Sam is open-minded and he knows that there is a place for him in professional football.”
“This is all about potential,” said TSN analyst Duane Forde of Giguere. “This guy is an incredible physical specimen... This guy is a freak; there is no better way to describe him.”
U de S player Giguere was the star of the CFL Evaluation Camp and earlier this week signed as an undrafted free agent with the Colts. There is no guarantee he will make the Colts, and O’Billovich said he is willing to wait.
As for the former Bishop’s College School and Champlain College Lennoxville standout, he said he’s pleased that he has options.
“I am leaving for Indianapolis tonight, have meetings Thursday and then a mini-camp starting Friday,” Giguere said in an interview yesterday. “This week it will be all rookies so there are going to be a lot of players in camp. If I make the cut then I will be invited back May 12th for what they call OTA (official team activities) and where we will have three practices a week. I would love to make the Colts but I know I have a lot to learn. I have only been playing organized football for 10 years and have played just 25 university games compared to Americans who have been played close to 50 games. If I don’t make the Colts... I would be happy to play in the CFL and after a year or two of experience I can always give the National Football League another shot.”
Giguere was one of two members of the Vert & Or who were drafted. Linebacker Pierre-Luc Labbe was selected by Winnipeg in the eighth round.
Sherbrooke defensive coordinator Marc Loranger said yesterday that Labbe can help a professional club in many ways.
“Pierre-Luc is valuable because he can play special teams right away, is a long snapper and of course is a very good linebacker,” Loranger said. “He has great range as a linebacker but is also very physical at the point of attack.”
Another local player who had hopes of being drafted was Gaiter wide receiver Keith Godding. The fourth-year wide receiver participated in the 2008 Canadian Football League (CFL) Evaluation Camp held last month in Toronto, but was not selected in the Wednesday draft, making him a free agent who can now sign with any club that may be interested in his services.
“I am surprised that he was not selected but I am confident that he can play in the CFL,” Bishop’s University head coach Leroy Blugh said yesterday. “Any club that signs him will have a very pleasant surprise. He doesn’t have the numbers that some other receivers have because he has been playing with an 18-year-old quarterback.”
Godding, a 6-foot-0, 190 lb. native of Ajax, Ontario, has amassed a total of 1,326 yards on 89 catches in 32 career games with the Gaiters. He was played in the 2007 East-West Bowl, where he caught two catches for 11 yards.
Godding led the Gaiters this past season with 26 receptions, picking up a total of 359 yards and two touchdowns. His high point this season came on Oct. 13 against Acadia, when he caught five passes for 107 yards.
By Mike Hickey
May 1, 2008 |
Montreal Canadiens
