CFL's Canadian Draft Live Today on TSN and CFL.ca
Published on May 2, 2009 under Canadian Football League (CFL) News Release
Toronto - (May 2, 2009) - Frank Clair knew it. So did Ralph Sazio. And Hugh Campbell swore by it: In the Canadian Football League, your team is only as good as your Canadian talent.
Today, CFL general managers hoping to follow in the legendary footsteps of multiple Grey Cup winners like Clair, Sazio and Campbell will make their picks in the 2009 Canadian Draft, hoping the prospects they've scouted will turn into the home grown stars their clubs need.
"Our teams know that it takes the right pieces to build a champion, and they will strive to put some of the most important ones in place today," said CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon.
"It's a nervous day for some great young Canadian athletes, a crucial day for our teams, an exciting one for our fans, and a sure sign that our season is fast approaching."
The first two rounds of the draft will be broadcast live today (May 2nd) on TSN, from 11:00am ET to 1:00pm ET, with Cohon announcing the teams' choices.
Fans can follow the final four rounds through real-time updates on CFL.ca.
Barring a trade, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats will pick first and third in the draft of eligible Canadian players from the CIS and NCAA. The Toronto Argonauts have the second pick, while the British Columbia Lions have the 4th, 5th and 6th picks. Montreal is scheduled to pick 7th and Calgary rounds out the first round, picking 8th.
Previous trades mean the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Edmonton Eskimos are shut out until the second round, where they pick 9th and 11th, respectively.
The top prospects in this year's draft were ranked this past week by the CFL Scouting Bureau. Topping that list was University of Alberta offensive lineman Simeon Rottier (1st) and Ãtienne Légaré (3rd), a defensive lineman from the Laval Rouge et Or. Bishop's running back Jamall Lee was ranked second, but signed with the NFL's Carolina Panthers which could impact where he is drafted. The highest ranked Canadian out of the NCAA is Central Michigan's Eric Fraser.
Host Rod Black will be joined in the TSN studio by CFL analysts Chris Schultz, Matt Dunigan and Glen Suitor on today's broadcast, which also features a second expert panel: TSN game analyst Duane Forde, Saint Mary's Huskies head coach Steve Sumarah, McMaster Marauders head Coach Stefan Ptaszek and TSN's Farhan Lalji.
Training camps for CFL teams open June 7th. The CFL on TSN season kicks off on Canada Day (July 1st) with an opening night doubleheader featuring Toronto @ Hamilton at 7 p.m. ET, immediately followed by Montreal @ Calgary at 10 p.m. ET in a rematch of last year's Grey Cup game.
Canadian Football League Stories from May 2, 2009
- Tiger-Cats Select Eight In 2009 Canadian Draft - Hamilton Tiger-Cats
- A look at the Als' eight choices - Montreal Alouettes
- Argos Get Their Men - Toronto Argonauts
- 2009 Blue Bombers Draft Choices Finalized - Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- Rottier, Légaré and Lee are Top Three Picks in 2009 CFL Canadian Draft - CFL
- Stamps select eight in CFL Canadian Draft - Calgary Stampeders
- Lions wrap Canadian Draft with three additional picks - B.C. Lions
- Riders stay close to home in CFL Canadian Draft - Saskatchewan Roughriders
- Als make Steenbergen their first pick - Montreal Alouettes
- Lions feast in first round of 2009 Canadian Draft - B.C. Lions
- Lions make early move to select Jamall Lee in CFL Canadian Draft - B.C. Lions
- Argos Pick Ãtienne Légaré Second Overall - Toronto Argonauts
- Tiger-Cats Draft Simeon Rottier With First Overall Pick In 2009 Draft - CFL
- Ticats Take Rottier First Overall - Hamilton Tiger-Cats
- CFL's Canadian Draft Live Today on TSN and CFL.ca - CFL
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