A pair of Brazilian athletes have become the first Global prospects to be invited to the 2022 National Combine in Toronto.
On Friday, the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol Americano announced that linebacker Ryan David and offensive lineman Otavio Amorim have been selected to attend the event from March 24 to 27 after competing in a regional combine hosted by the Brazilian federation on February 19.
CFL officials were not present in the country for that event, but all drills were live streamed and official measurements collected — no Brazilian players were selected in the 2021 CFL Global Draft.
David, whose full name is Ryan David Gomes, came the closest, signing with the Ottawa Redblacks as an undrafted free agent. However, he was released three weeks later, and will now take advantage of COVID rules which allow unselected prospects who were unable to test in person a chance to do so.
A hybrid linebacker for Galo Futebol Americano in the city of Belo Horizonte, David checked in at six-foot, 218-pounds at the regional combine. According to data published by the CBFA, he clocked a 4.50-second 40-yard dash, while going 6.98 seconds in the three-cone and 4.22 seconds in the shuttle. David also notched a vertical jump of 27 inches, a nine-foot, three-inch broad jump, and 16 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press.
Amorim hails from T-Rex Football on the city of Timbo, but played last season with the Berlin Thunder of the European League of Football under Canadian head coach Jag Bal. The six-foot-three, 342-pound mauler was a part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program in 2020, but went unselected by NFL teams.
He reportedly ran an impressive 5.28-second 40-yard dash this week, with an 8.09-second three-cone and 4.85 second shuttle. Amorim posted 20 reps on the bench, along with a 17-inch vertical and a seven-foot, six-inch broad jump.
The CFL has announced plans to invite as many as 40 Global prospects to compete alongside Canadian players at the National Combine in March, but so far David and Amorim are the only names that have been announced.
