The Hamilton Tiger-Cats signed eight of its nine members of the club’s 2020 Canadian Football League Draft Class on Thursday, including offensive lineman Coulter Woodmansey, defensive end Mason Bennett, linebacker Bailey Feltmate, receiver Tyler Ternowski, safety Stavros Katsantonis, offensive lineman Joseph Bencze, defensive back Jean Ventose and long snapper Tom Schnitzler.
The signings of first round selections Coulter Woodmansey and Mason Bennett had been previously reported by 3DownNation.
Woodmansey played in 32 games, including 28 starts at guard over four seasons at the University of Guelph. The six-foot-five, 325-pound native of Toronto, Ontario was named an OUA first-team all-star and a second-team all-Canadian in 2019, and also suited up for the West Team in the U SPORTS East-West Bowl.
Bennett played 43 games over four seasons at the University of North Dakota, posting 128 total tackles, 20 quarterback sacks, three pass breakups, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. The six-foot-four, 235-pound native of Winnipeg, Manitoba holds the UND Division I-era record for sacks in a season with 9 in 2018 and was selected to the Associated Press All-American Third Team in 2019.
Feltmate played in 31 games over four seasons at Acadia University before being selected in the second round by the Tiger-Cats. He recorded 203 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, three quarterback sacks, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and five pass breakups, helping lead Acadia to two Loney Bowl Championships during his time with the Axemen. The six-foot-two, 220-pound native of Moncton, New Brunswick’s numerous accolades at Acadia include being named an AUS All-Star three times, a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian twice, the AUS Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year twice, and was the recipient of the AUS Student-Athlete Community Service Award in 2019.
Tyler “The Terror” Ternowski played in 29 games over four seasons at the University of Waterloo, recording 164 receptions for 2,949 yards and 26 receiving touchdowns, while also adding 23 kick returns for 413 yards and 16 punt returns for 129 yards. The six-foot, 185-pound native of Hamilton, Ontario was named an OUA First Team All-star each of his last three years as a Warrior, and was also named a U SPORT First Team All-Canadian in 2018 and 2019. Hamilton’s third round selection led the OUA and U SPORTS with receiving 1,159 yards and 14 receiving touchdowns in 2018, earning the OUA record for most receiving TD’s in a single season.
Katsantonis appeared in 43 games over four seasons at the University of British Columbia, registering 205 total tackles, 18 interceptions, 16 pass breakups, three forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries as a Thunderbird. The five-foot-eleven, 185-pound native of Bakersfield, California was named to the First Team All-Canadian defensive squad three of his four years at UBC. Known as the Bakersfield Bandit for his ball-hawking nature, the Ticats’ fourth round pick was crucial to UBC’s 2015 Vanier Cup victory, being named the Defensive MVP.
Bencze made 24 appearances over four seasons at McMaster University, suiting up at both offensive tackle and defensive tackle before being selected in the fifth round. The six-foot-five, 255-pound native of Peterborough, Ontario posted 26.5 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks during his time on defense for the Marauders. He projects to play offensive line in the CFL.
Ventose appeared in 15 games over two seasons at the University of British Columbia, recording 31 total tackles, one interception, four pass breakups, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. The six-foot, 200-pound native of Calgary, Alberta spent the 2016 season as a redshirt with the University of Calgary and was selected in the sixth round by the Tiger-Cats.
Schnitzler made 16 appearances at defensive line over two seasons at the University of British Columbia. The six-foot-five, 245-pound native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan registered 45 total tackles, three quarterback sacks, one forced fumble and three pass breakups as a Thunderbird. A former member of the CJFL’s Saskatoon Hilltoppers, he was taken in the eighth round.
The Tiger-Cats’ other 2020 draft selection, seventh round kicker JJ Molson, is currently on the practice roster of the National Football League’s Green Bay Packers.
