Insider Talk is a weekly feature on 3DownNation that includes anonymous quotes from people around the CFL — players, coaches, personnel people, executives, agents, etc. — regarding the latest news around the league. It’s a combination of insight, analysis, rumours, and friendly gossip.
This week’s Insider Talk is full of discussion regarding the upcoming 2022 CFL Draft, Edmonton likely selecting University of Calgary defensive tackle J-Min Pelley in the upcoming supplemental draft, what the B.C. Lions could do with their first-round pick, Winnipeg’s draft needs, the ratio, and more.
Enjoy this week’s quotes and come back next week for another edition of Insider Talk.
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I can’t see Edmonton trading the first overall pick (in the 2022 CFL Draft) but I could see someone trading up into the top three or four depending on who’s still available. The teams with those picks will have a lot of leverage considering how top-heavy this draft is.
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(Supplemental draft-eligible) J-Min Pelley would have been a first-round pick in the regular draft if for no other reason than there’s a real shortage of Canadian defensive tackles in our league. Chris Jones loves him and I hope he has to give up his first-round pick next year to get him.
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I know everyone’s expecting them to take a Philpot (at third overall) but I think B.C. should use that pick to take an offensive lineman. That’s been their sore spot for years now. Edmonton’s not going O-line at (first overall) and I don’t think Ottawa’s going O-line at (second overall), so B.C. would have their pick of all of them.
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Winnipeg lost (Canadian defensive end) Jonathan Kongbo (to the NFL) but I don’t think they’re desperate to run out and draft a defensive lineman. With Brandon Alexander out (with a torn ACL) they’ll probably start a Canadian safety, which means they don’t necessarily need someone to rotate with Jake Thomas.
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I’d rather play against a big running back than a small running back any day. Taller backs have a high centre of gravity and they’re easy to take out at the knees. But small running backs? S***. You lose them behind the offensive line and they tend to just bounce off contact because their balance is so good.
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The ratio is critical because it not only ensures that we have Canadians playing in our league but that they go on to coach and promote our game. Many do it at the grassroots level but that all trickles up to the postsecondary and professional levels. Kyle Walters would never have become a GM if it weren’t for the ratio. Mike O’Shea probably never would have become a head coach either. The last I checked, those two guys just won back-to-back Grey Cups.
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(St. Mary’s defensive back) Adrian Greene’s stock has definitely gone up since the combine but he only had one interception in 21 games in U Sports. In that conference (the AUS) he should have been dominant.
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(University of Saskatchewan defensive tackle) Nathan Cherry has a great motor. You can teach players a lot of things but effort is something that players tend to either have or not have. Cherry has it.
