The Calgary Stampeders have signed six 2020 draft picks, including reigning J.P. Metras Trophy winner Andrew Seinet Spaulding. Also signed were offensive lineman Jon Zamora, defensive back Michael Asibuo, receiver Tyson Middlemost, linebacker Kurtis Gray and punter Kieran Burnham.
The 2019 recipient of the J.P. Metras Trophy as U Sports’ most outstanding lineman, Seinet-Spaulding was a unanimous Quebec conference all-star selection as well as a first-team all-Canadian before being selected in the sixth round by Montreal. He was the conference’s defensive player of the year, leading all players with seven sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. The six-foot, 292-pounder also made 27.5 total tackles and was named McGill’s MVP. Seinet-Spaulding was also a conference all-star in 2017 and 2018 and was named defensive rookie of the year in 2016.
Third rounder Jon Zamora was the highest draft pick signed. In four seasons with St. Francis Xavier, the six-foot-three, 319-pounder appeared in 31 games at either centre or guard. Zamora was a three-time Atlantic University Sport all-star and a member of the X-Men’s conference-championship squads in 2016 and 2019. He was selected to the U Sports East-West Bowl in 2019.
Eight round pick Michael Asibuo wass a four-year member of the Concordia Stingers, recording 51 tackles, five interceptions, 11 pass breakups and one forced fumble. In 2019, the five-foot-eleve, 195-pounder played seven games and made 15 total tackles and three pass breakups.
Tyson Middlemost was selected in the fourth round after making 83 receptions for 1,032 yards and seven touchdowns in 26 games over four seasons at McMaster. In 2019, he recorded 32 receptions for 528 yards and four majors as the Marauders won the Yates Cup. The six-foot-two, 195-pound receiver registered a career-high 119 yards – including a 72-yard reception – in a Sept. 21, 2019, victory over Windsor.
Also selected in the fourth round, Kurtis Gray played 32 games over four seasons for his hometown Waterloo Warriors. The six-foot-three, 200-pound linebacker recorded 164 career solo tackles including 11.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries and 10 pass breakups. In 2019, Gray led U Sports with three forced fumbles and was named a first-team all-Canadian on special teams. He played in the East-West Bowl.
Punter Kieran Burnham suited up in 32 games over four seasons at St. Francis Xavier before being made a seventh round selection by the Stampeders. He was an Atlantic University Sport all-star and second-team all-Canadian at punter in 2019 when he punted 52 times for an average of 42.8 yards. Burnham was also an AUS all-star in 2016 and 2018. For his career, he had 234 punts for 9,002 yards including 51 punts inside the 20. Burnham converted on 29 of 37 career field-goal attempts and was successful on all 27 of his converts for a total of 114 career points.
