The Montreal Alouettes have signed their entire 2022 CFL Draft class, including first overall pick Tyrell Richards.
The six-foot-four, 230-pound Syracuse product played three seasons in upstate New York, where he amassed 54 tackles, 9.5 tackles for losses and six sacks, on top of one interception, three knockdowns, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Richards, a Brampton, Ont. native, played as a linebacker and defensive end, and excelled on special teams, as he was named the Orange’s 2019 Special Teams Player of the Year.
Also signed were receivers Tyson Philpot and Vincent Forbes-Mombleau, offensive linemen Rodeem Brown and Peter Kozushka, linebackers Yanis Chihat and Zach Lindley, defensive back Tysen-Otis Copeland and running back Ryth-Jean Giraud.
Drafted with the ninth overall pick in the first round, Tyson Philpot played for the University of Calgary Dinos. The 21-year-old caught 41 passes for 746 yards and nine majors last season. In 2019, he helped the Dinos win the Vanier Cup, amassing 52 yards on four catches in the 27-13 win over the Université de Montréal Carabins.
Forbes-Montbleau was voted the RSEQ rookie of the year in 2018. Last season, the 23-year-old caught 30 passes for 383 yards and one touchdown, good for fifth place in Quebec. He played for the Université Laval Rouge et Or before being selected 24th overall in the third round by Montreal.
Rodeem Brown was a second-round selection, 18th overall, from the University of Alberta. The native of Halifax, NS helped the Golden Bears reach the Hardy Cup semi-final in 2021 alongside his teammate Peter Kozushka, who was drafted 51st overall in the sixth round.
Drafted in the seventh round, 60th overall, Yanis Chihat recorded 44 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 20 collegiate career games with l’Université Laval Rouge et Or.
Fellow linebacker Zach Lindley was taken with the 69th overall pick in the eighth round after helping the Western University Mustangs win the Vanier Cup last fall. He completed the year with 58 tackles, one sack and two interceptions in ten games.
Tysen-Otis Copeland registered 13 tackles and one interception, on top of forcing a fumble and knocking down two passes, in only four games with the Université de Montréal Carabins last season. Alouettes general manager Danny Maciocia selected his former recruit in the fourth round, 33rd overall, before taking fellow Carabins standout Ryth-Jean Giraud with pick number 52 in round five. The former RSEQ all-star amassed 935 yards on 146 carries in 22 career games.
