I've been somewhat fortunate with this the last 3 yrs

2011-12:

http://www.thephins.com/forums/entry.php?218-2012-CFL-to-NFL-Top-10-prospect-thread

2010-11

http://www.thephins.com/forums/entry.php?146-CFL-to-NFL-the-class-of-2011

(Note on that one, Yonus Davis was abeast, and also a major SoCal drug importer..oops)

So for the 2012-13 version:

Johnothon Hefney:

[video=youtube;o4NbdY7-C7c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4NbdY7-C7c[/video]

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=56414&draftyear=2008&genpos=FS

Odell Willis:

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/profilexnews.php?pyid=67615&draftyear=2007&genpos=OLB

[video=youtube;2ByFt2K9-r8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ByFt2K9-r8[/video]

Willis is just an enigma, vet CFL OLinemen who faced both him and Wake said hands down he is quicker then the Kraken off the snap, and he is an edge rusher deluxe..BUT..he wears out his welcome in the CFL and does so quickly.

Roll of the dice, a very talented roll of the dice.

6'2 255 fwiw

Of all of the CFLers available this February, imo he is the one most likely to make an impact in his first season ala Wake in 09

Solomon Eliminian: Sol-e has been covered before, sort of a Sam Mills type who bounced around a couple of camps in the NFL last yr before landing back in BC. It took him weeks to recover from the calf injury that caused him to bounce around BUT the talent is still there:

[video=youtube;yQ9OtEizjP8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ9OtEizjP8[/video]

Shawn Gore: Cannot find his NFL draft scout profile but he ran a 4.5 coming out

[video=youtube;vcHqueNjHE8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcHqueNjHE8[/video]

My take: Physical and fast Wr, he makes plays happen and has great hands he is one of those guys who could make the jump and make GM's look silly, or he could be Manny Arceneuex and disappear on various p squads.

He has loads of talent and is a playmaker capable of taking a dump off and going to the house with it.

Kind of player perhaps the Dolphins should take a look at tbh.

Jovan Olifoye: Covered him before and the Dolphins came within a hairs breadth of singing him as a RG prospect, his issue is a heart defect. Some team may take a chance on him and the Dolphins and Rams nearly did.




Honorable mentions:

Julius Williams:http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=32957&draftyear=2009&genpos=olb

-injuries held him back this year, this is a very talented player who it would not surprise me if he has an invite somewhere

Lee Robinson: http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=9822&draftyear=2009&genpos=olb

Larry Taylor: had a cup of coffee with the Jest a couple of years ago, a returner/scat back, with the success CFL return men have had in the NFL it would not surprise me.

I'd like to see the Dolphins take looks at:

-Shawn Gore, this guy can play, if you watch him it is men v boys at times
-Solomon Eliminian, who knows, could be Zach Thomas jr
-Odell Willis, would love to see him in Miami, but suspect his issues will scare Ireland off, he is worth the risk as his contract is dirt cheap and his upside could be huge.

Sadly, the best CFL to NFL prospect since Jeff Garcia, Travis Lulay appears to be not heading South this year.

Any questions, feel free to ask.

 

Ask Cam Wake or Marcus Thigpen

I've done one of these for the last 3 yrs maybe 4, and the BC Lions forum sort of does this as well.

Actually, long time fellow forumites can vouch for my ability to pick out guys from that league who can play in the NFL at a high level.

Though I did miss on Andrew Hawkins (515 4 td's so far for Cinci) he was an afterthought in Montreal.

 

Should add, in Shawn Gore's corner, he spent camp 2010 in Green Bay and was among the later cuts that year, Philbin knows him.

He's built like a GB Wr, 6'0 205:

 

Oh sure, all of the time.

Junior Gallette, hopelessly buried on the Saints PS was considered a great prospect for the CFL, he finally broke through this year and has 5 sacks so far in 6 games.

CFL is a very different game and lots of NFLers and "all conference" types head up there and fall flat on their faces.

 

Suspect it will be a couple, Gore and Olifioye (provided he can pass a physical) figure to be on the list.

Great story about Gore:

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/...ted+shot+based+faint+dream/7657501/story.html

 

Well, you still can afford to have the one trick pony on the roster b/c the one trick he does well is among the most important roles in the league.

I suspect the Jest will make a run at some CFLers b/c they are so deep in cap hell and yet need to add talent.

 

Talent is there though, Willis can bend that edge and has a tonne of prush moves.

He has the quicks.

 

Avg wheels tbh, Shologan is one of those blue collar players.

Shomari Williams is a FA but his physical prowess means -0-

 

Yep, I figure you plug him into the 4th lb/de role and just pin his ears back and send him after the Qb.

D22 feels he is not as powerful as Cam Wake, which is probably true, however Willis has a larger array of pass rush moves, he really is polished as a rusher.

 

Probably, he is a knucklehead, but it also would not surprise me as Ireland has made his bones as a CFL talent finder.

Jerrell Freeman..147 tackles, good for 5th in the NFL.

Thigpen #2 in punt return Avg #3 or #4 in KO return avg.

I think the whole "CFL players cannot play in the NFL" BS to bed.

Would like to see Ireland make a mini run at Phillip Hunt tbh.

 

TBh, I don't think that stuff matters as much as it did, he is limited to a 75k signing bonus and league minimum deal anyway.

Easily cutable.

This yr, tbh, it looks like a thin crop, Sol-E and Jovan are re hashes, Hefney is okay but not an CFL type.

Gore is interesting.

 

Manny A's last stand, his ps time is just about up

Solomon Elimiminian had a look from the Browns last yr before returning to the CFL with a calf injury, he could be a great pickup for them.

Interesting point about Willis, the Zone Read that is in fashion atm is old hat in the CFL, he knows how to defend it.

 

He was expected to make a run to the NFL this offseason but apparently is negotiating a new deal in BC.

Before Smith was fired in JVille they had scheduled a workout with Lulay's b/c Mike Reilly, but that is in limbo now.

I'd thought Lulay would bolt South and Reilly would take over for him and it just did not work out.

The new CBA limits the signing bonuses they can receive to 76k, imo that is probably an anti trust violating but it takes deep pockets to fight that case.

 

Not in Miami D22, he'd go somewhere to have a shot at starting.

We are losing MMoore for the same reason.

Sol-E came back from the NFL banged up and I suspect he never got healthy in the CFL.

 

No surprise, he was on the inactive list for weeks when he signed, then was not effective afterwards.

This happens often, the NFL experience as a way of making a player unappreciative of the opportunity to play in the CFL, their eyes are always turned South.

Also no surprise the Browns snapped him up, he can play football in the NFL.

I can understand kicking the tires on Brian Simmons, but not Wyatt.

Lulay would go somewhere with a shot at starting, like AZ, the situation in Miami means no matter how well he plays, he'd never surpass Tannehill.

 

Hmm, he was born in 84 it is not like he is 33, he is about the same age as Cam was when he came to the NFL.

And Montreal's Trestman is interviewing in Cleveland and Chicago.

 

Intriguing player about to try and make the jump:

Armand Armstead

[video]http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=armond+armstead+nfl+draft+scout&view=detail&mid=E03B7B9C655ADD6B6B37E03B7B9C655ADD6B6B37&first=0[/video]

I say intriguing simply b/c he went up north, played DT, and had a fast impact, that is normally a sign, and he is 6'4 and can play inside or outside, he was recently cut by the Argos after 1 year which is sort of the way the CFL handles guys who want to take their chances in NFL camps after the "option year" expired.

 

He did, the Argos, thankfully, came back from the dead this year.

Armstead is an interesting prospect, he is also very young.

 

Interesting stuff, Pats and Gore especially.

 

Robinson was just a guy R4, Watt was not even that.

Armstead worked out in NE and Philly

Montreal GM Jm Popp interviewed by NYJ.

Terry Grant was relased by Hamilton, he is a sort of Stefan Logan type buried behind Chris Williams.

Yep, our fmr KR, he of the famous "boink"! off of the facemask one preseason, scored 8 Td's on returns in 2012

 

Colts have been larger players chasing after CFLers than we have, John Chick, Justin Hickman, Jerrell Freeman.

Suspect the organization still feels the sting from not landing Cam Wake.

Interestingly enough, Marc Trestman is now the Bears HC, would not surprise me if they also hop into the CFL to NFL market as well.