1 - Toronto Steelheads | DL Sam Reinkemeyer | New England - Detroit, MI - Kingsfan11
For the 3rd time since joining the NAAF in 1964, the Steelheads had the #1 pick in the draft. With the selection, they wouldn’t surprise anyone, taking the top prospect on the board, DL Sam Reinkemeyer. Reinkemeyer is a dominant force on the D-line. He’s at the top of his game when he is in the backfield. Taking down the QB and shutting down the run game. He was so good that he was one of the only players last season capable of keeping RB Axel Vandal at bay during the Hybrid Football Championship. With DL Johnathan Ellison leaving Toronto for Long Island, Reinkemeyer is a perfect replacement for a strong defence to maintain their level of play going into next season.
2 - Halifax Mariners | RB Axel Vandal | St-Laurent - Drummondville, QC - ZO82
Many felt the Mariners could go a few different directions with the #2 selection. With their aging WR corps, they could add a top target in WR Eric Norris, or address needs on the O-line or at safety. However, they would ignore those needs and take the top RB in the class. Vandal was borderline unstoppable in college. He’s one of the most balanced runners out there, having a mix of speed, elusiveness, and power that makes him a rare find. RB Max Tracy is about the closest comparison to Vandal. Halifax goes out here and gets their top RB to pair up with QB Todd Sparrow, who was their 1st overall selection last year.
3 - Regina Wheat Kings | LB Lewis Vander | Maine State - Portsmouth, NH - Jayhawk
The Wheat Kings had a lot of needs throughout the roster, so making a pick is certainly a challenge. They would take Maine State’s Lewis Vander, who might have been the perfect selection. Vander is a jack-of-all-trades defender. He bounced around the defence a lot, moving to many different positions. His speed and awareness make him deadly in any situation. He can track down ball carriers, he can use the speed to get to the QB, or he can hang back and play well in coverage. His most comfortable position is still playing a deeper middle linebacker, allowing him to drop in coverage or move up and tackle. With Regina’s lower talent in some positions, this is a great add as Vander can slot into where he is needed.
TRADE ALERT
Ahead of the Winnipeg Falcons’ first selection of the draft, the rumblings of a trade began to stir. Despite a top-end DL (the Falcons’ position of need), Robin Lucas, being there at 4, the Falcons were willing to move back. At the same time, there were several teams interested in the top safety in the draft, Ian Outlaw. London (6th Overall), Long Island (7th Overall), and Halifax (9th Overall via Boston) all made pitches to Winnipeg about the selection. Halifax and Long Island would be the two finalists, but the Falcons would eventually take a deal with the Raiders. The deal would see the Raiders acquire Winnipeg’s 1st Round Pick (4th Overall) and 3rd Round Pick (40th Overall), and Winnipeg would receive Long Island’s 1st Round Pick (7th Overall) and 2nd Round Pick (25th Overall), as well as OL John Dough. To summarize, Winnipeg moves back, flips a 3rd for a 2nd and adds a depth O-lineman.
4 - Long Island Raiders (from Winnipeg) | S Ian Outlaw | New England - Boston, MA - DireBear
With the newly acquired pick, the Raiders would not hesitate in selecting Ian Outlaw. Outlaw is praised for his ability to take away the big play. He’s a premiere player over the top, even being able to take away a team’s best receiver. Not only is he great at defending the pass, but he can also pack a wallop and take guys down with his strength and great tackling ability. Many expect Outlaw to step up as one of the next top safeties in the league.
5 - Calgary Predators | WR Eric Norris | New England - Hanover, VA - RaysUp
The Predators have been good about adding defence throughout free agency thus far, but have struggled immensely in bringing in offensive help, so they were certainly relieved to get the top WR in the draft. Eric Norris is a character. Flamboyant and energetic, might be a perfect fit for a flashy and high-tempo Wild West offence. Norris has the speed that the Preds like, but also the ability to improvise and create opportunities with his football awareness. On top of that, he’s got great hands that will make him a scary player in the league in the coming seasons.
6 - London Tigers | OL Jacob Szczepanski | Indiana Tech (AMR) - Lapel, IN - Dan O’Mac
The Tigers did not get the safety they wanted, but they would settle with the top O-lineman in the draft, taking the towering Szczepanski. There are some concerns about QBs being able to pass over the wall of a player, but the wall works both ways as he is often the stronger player when compared to his D-line match-up. He isn’t the most technically sound, but his pure strength has gotten him this far.
7 - Winnipeg Falcons (from Long Island) | DL Graham de Veres | Pacific Provincial (CAN) - Victoria, BC - Darknes
After trading back from 4th the Falcons still had their opportunity to pick DL Robin Lucas. However, they would shock everyone by taking Pacific Provincial’s DL Graham de Veres, a player who was ranked to go late 1st/early 2nd. A head-scratching move considering how talented Lucas is, however, some personality issues, mainly regarding a lack of effort at times and has a closed off manner, may have been what scared Winnipeg away. In comparison, de Veres is an incredibly hard-working player, a good sport, and someone who is ready to be the best he can be. On the field, de Veres is a technical master, having well-trained and refined fundamentals allowing him to expose weaknesses in his opponent when he is outmatched. He may lack the pure talent that Lucas or Reinkemeyer have but he is more than willing to get better.
8 - Edmonton Rangers | OL Callum Thomas | UEdmonton (CAN) - Edmonton, AB - Wallflower
Homegrown talent is the name of the game for the Rangers, who take the safe pick and take one of their own in Callum Thomas with the 8th pick. The Rangers love their local talent as this is the second year in a row they have taken a UEdmonton product with their first selection. Thomas’ specialty is in the run game, being a strong, well-built player that thrives in power rushing. Edmonton certainly is a perfect fit for Thomas as they run a primarily power-rushing offence.
9 - Halifax Mariners (from Boston) | OL Glenn Capson | Maine State - Windham, ME - idm
After missing out on moving up for a safety and WR Eric Norris not falling, the Mariners would play it safe and bring in a new O-lineman. Capson is an agile blocker, well fit to be on the edge of the O-line who can keep pace with some of the fastest rushers in the league. He also gets up the field if a run breaks, expect him to even get involved in blocking on kicking plays as well. With a smaller build and faster movement, Capson is a little weaker compared to other linemen, which can lead him to get beat by a strong D-lineman.
10 - Indiana Victors | DB Oswald Martell | Western New York - Buffalo, NY - ZO82
With DB Neville Falkner leaving the Victors this offseason, everyone knew that Indiana was going to be the likely landing spot for Oswald Martell, with only the Blue Wings being in the market for a DB in the 1st round. With Buffalo not moving up ahead of them, the Victors would take the top corner in the draft. Martell is a pure ball hawk, who can make interceptions out of nowhere. Those interceptions often come when Martell is out duelling WRs in 1-on-1’s. He’s great going for the ball, but he does have a weakness of being a little smaller and not as strong of a tackler, but his hands alone make him a valuable prospect.
TRADE ALERT
While the Wolves decided on what to do, a trade would take place between the Toronto Steelheads and the Buffalo Blue Wings. The Steelheads would move up, acquiring Buffalo’s 1st Round Pick (15th Overall) and S Bennett Drill in exchange, Buffalo would get Toronto’s 2nd Round Pick (19th Overall), Boston’s 4th Round Pick (63rd Overall), and S Donny McCreary.
The move seems to be a response to Winnipeg’s trade earlier in the 1st and both the Steelheads and Falcons are expected to be the two teams targeting QB Ryan Alexander. Winnipeg has picks 22 and 25 and could easily package the two picks to move up ahead, so by getting a late 1st, it puts Toronto in position to challenge Winnipeg in a potential trade partner. Buffalo was willing to move back after Oswald had gone to Indiana. The teams also trade safeties with Toronto needing a player who can play now, while Buffalo needs some more youth.
11 - Vancouver Wolves | OL Dominic Bissonnette | Majeure Montreal - Marieville, QC - ZO82
After the trade, Vancouver would make their first pick of the draft and would take an O-lineman. Bissonnette was the next-best OL available after the first 3. There’s a bit of a talent drop with the pick, but Bissonnette is still a really solid player who doesn’t need to immediately make an impact for the Wolves. He’s a good, athletic pass blocker who should develop into a solid starter for the Wolves down the line.
12 - Ottawa Royals | DL Robin Lucas | Toronto - Kingston, ON - QCS
The Royals were quite happy to see DL Robin Lucas drop all the way to 12th overall. They were desperate to add some more depth at the position due to some injury troubles for DL Bernhard Hartmann over the last couple of seasons. There are concerns with Lucas’ personality, as he is a very closed-off player who sometimes takes his foot off of the gas in games. He has reportedly wanted to improve that aspect of his play, only time will tell if can make good on that desire. When Lucas is on, he is an extremely talented player. He’s lean, making him fast and able to attack any gaps in the O-line. He’s great at hunting down the QB and even can jump up and block passes. Ottawa will have to work on his personality, which could be the best team for the job, but Lucas should be an impactful player if he unlocks his potential.
TRADE ALERT
The Steelheads held their breath when another trade was announced for the 13th overall pick, hoping it wasn’t Winnipeg swooping in for Ryan Alexander. However, they were able to relax when it was the Tigers moving up to the 13th spot, who drafted QB Henry Johnsson last season. The Tigers would acquire Providence’s 1st Round Pick (13th Overall), DB Perry Ferris, and their 3rd Round Pick in 1973. In exchange, Providence would receive WR Leon Hudson, London’s 3rd Round Pick (42nd Overall) and their 4th Round Pick in 1973.
The big story with this trade was WR Leon Hudson, who was picked 7th overall by the Tigers in 1970. In his first two seasons, Hudson hasn’t quite lived up to expectations. After the Tigers signed WR Lloyd Lane, Hudson was the obvious odd man out, so he requested a trade. In the end, Hudson would be heading to Providence to join his college teammate, QB Red King. The two were great at Central Ohio and the Gold Stars are hoping that chemistry can add to an already solid offence, which is making Providence more and more of a favourite heading into the season.
13 - London Tigers (from Providence) | S Marcus Harris | North Indiana (AMR) - Troy, OH - vladee
With the newly acquired pick, the Tigers would get the safety they couldn’t get earlier in the draft. Harris is a well-rounded player who can fit in different defensive schemes. He’s solid in coverage and is a good tackler. More of a high-floor than a high-ceiling player, but still a great get for the Tigers. Harris has also been praised as a great teammate and leader, which the Tigers are certainly not disappointed to add to the locker room.
14 - Pittsburgh Blacksmiths | LB Yuri Dragunov | Allegheny (AMR) - Pittsburgh, PA - ZO82
The Blacksmiths would go up and pick a homegrown talent in LB Yuri Dragunov. His family moved to Pittsburgh just before he was born following WWII. While Dragunov has had to deal with some negativity towards his heritage in America, he has always found a way to endear his teammates with his charismatic and funny personality. He also has done it with his play on the field, having a natural instinct and talent for the sport. He's great at timing his moves and tracking down players all over the field, making him a great sideline-to-sideline defender. His weakness comes in coverage, often being easily out-maneuvered by receivers.
15 - Toronto Steelheads (from Buffalo) | QB Ryan Alexander | New England - Framingham, MA - Wallflower
Toronto was finally able to take a breath and walk up to take a potential QB of the future. Ryan Alexander is the purest of pocket passers. A game manager through and through with solid accuracy, a decent arm, and good poise. Some are concerned that he has relied heavily on a lot of surrounding talent, backed up by 3 of his UNE teammates being taken in the top 5. However, he certainly isn’t a slouch and can pull his weight. GM Reginald McMahon isn’t concerned as a lot of the same concerns regarding Alexander were made about QB Charles Lemieux when he came out of St-Laurent alongside RB Jimmy Golden and WR Alexei Dubois. Certainly, a player that McMahon knows how to manage, having helped manage Lemieux and the Blue Wings to 4 McCallister Cups.
16 - Minnesota Serpents | LB Morgan King | Rhode Island State - Warwick, RI - Burmy87
The Minnesota Serpents were quite happy to see Morgan King still on the board after he dropped from being ranked 8th overall. King is a really solid tackler, who can really attack the run game. He’s a solid role model putting a lot of effort into each play. It’s a bit of a wonder that he managed to stay on the board this long, but the Serpents are certainly excited to add another young LB to their defence.
17 - Montreal Rouge | OL Bobby Finley | St. Paul (AMR) - St. Paul, MN - DireBear
The Rouge’s first selection would see them go a bit off the board, taking OL Bobby Finley out of St. Paul. He’s another agile blocker, that should be a good fit for keeping up against faster D-linemen. However, with Montreal reaching a bit for Finley, he may end up being a bit of a project initially. It’s likely one of the key reasons the team chose him over other options, is his leadership, being a captain for St. Paul this previous season. He can bring a lot of his teammates and Montreal is certainly ready to add that to the locker room.
18 - Louisville Thunder | WR Stu Weidemann | Cambridge of Boston - Boston, MA - NoE38
With the final pick of the 1st Round, the Thunder would grab a WR to add depth for a WR corps that just lost WR Lloyd Lane. Weidemann adds a new layer to the Thunder’s attack, being a more physical and big-bodied WR. He should provide a more aggressive change-up to the offence that can shake off some tackles and make some tough catches in traffic. Frankly, he’s got the chops to play TE if he wants to, but has been more used to the outside. He’s also very smart and prepared to continue law school during the offseason.
Round 2
To kick off the second round the Blue Wings would make their first selection of the draft, taking DB Oswald Martell’s twin brother, Lawrence. Lawrence is a physical defender, who is a little bigger than his brother. The Blue Wings get a solid young player for their aging secondary.
The Mariners would look to the future at WR going with Oliver Shephard at 20. With all 3 of the team’s top WRs being in their 30s now, a receiver was a must-get during the draft. Shephard is a small but scrappy WR who can still win battles at the catch point.
Regina would grab OL Simon Northcott out of Saskatchewan Provincial where new GM Aaron Thornton was previously. Northcott is a strong O-lineman who should be a good addition to the Wheat Kings’ offence.
Winnipeg would make another shocking move, taking a TE in Douglas Northway at 22nd. Many thought they would grab QB Mitchell Nash here, but they had other plans. All of the former WFU teams had to just find players that could play TE since the position didn’t exist in Canadian football. Many chose smaller O-linemen, except Vancouver just moved over a big WR. In the end, Northway is a receiving TE and is a sign Winnipeg is looking to evolve.
Calgary would double down at WR, taking WR Eric Norris’ college teammate, James Johnson. Johnson is a speedy WR who fits the bill for what Calgary looks for in a receiver. The combination of the two should be great for chemistry.
The Tigers would add on the D-line with their 3rd selection of the draft. DL Christopher Hearson is an athletic and powerful rusher who should be a good supplementary piece to an already young D-line.
Ahead of pick 25, Winnipeg would make another trade. They would send pick 25, the one they got in the Long Island trade, to the Indiana Victors for picks 28 and 46. The Victors would then select LB Zach Sexton, who had slid down from being ranked 17th in The Gains Report. Sexton is an aggressive prospect who likes to "hand out punishment" as he says. Could be a problem if he isn’t kept in line, but still a talented prospect.
Edmonton would continue to roll with local talent, adding RB Howie Bowman out of Alberta Provincial. A very athletic runner, whose best skill is evading tackles. He also has some issues with not putting in 100%, but he can get there with the right coach.
Boston would finally make their first selection of the draft and they would grab a much-needed corner in DB Dallas Daniels. A fiery corner that plays aggressively and fast. Obviously, he needs to work on taming some of the aggression, but he will still be a physical corner for the Independents.
Winnipeg would reach again with their 28th selection, taking OL Damien Brisebois. Brisebois would be the first-ever player to be drafted out of Mont Bellevue, creating a celebration in the city of Sherbrooke. Brisebois is a strong and physical force on the line, however, may need some time to develop having not had as much experience with top talent.
The Raiders would continue to be aggressive, trading up a second time in the draft. They would acquire pick 29 from the Vancouver Wolves in exchange for picks 40 and 43. They would then take the agile OL in Martin Dashaw, a player that HC Levi Bray is excited to get his hands on to use in a more dynamic offence.
The Ottawa Royals would land a hometown product in WR Tyler Jackson. The Royals continue their search for a top-tier WR by getting a great route runner in Jackson, who can make QB Drake Young’s life easy by getting into open space.
Indiana would take Maine State RB, Mark Waters, with pick 31. Waters is one of the fastest players in the draft, making him a scary player in open space, though he may want to gain a little more muscle to acquire said open space.
Pittsburgh would snag S Chris Berger, another player who was slipping down the draft board. Berger is a great over-the-top cover guy who can read the play but lacks a bit of strength in the tackling department.
Buffalo’s second pick of the 2nd round would be OL Humphrey Hogarth. Hogarth is a big and solid pass blocker that should provide some much-needed depth on the line.
Minnesota would take Toronto S Alex Spurrier, who is one of the most athletic prospects with great speed and strength, however, he is very raw in his technique in both tackling and coverage making him a bit of a project.
Toronto would go local with the 35th pick, taking RB Nelson Barker out of St. George. Another running back built with good speed that can be dangerous if he can find a hole in the defence.
Finally, the Mariners would go and select S Horace Treadaaway, the younger brother to DB Jack Treadaway who is currently in Halifax. The team hopes the sibling connection will help with Horace’s development and growth as a solid coverage safety.
Round 2 Picks
19 - BUF (from TOR) | DB Lawrence Martell | Western New York - Buffalo, NY - ZO82
20 - HFX | WR Oliver Shephard | Rhode Island State - Watertown, NY - Darknes
21 - REG | OL Simon Northcott | Saskatchewan Provincial (CAN) - North Battleford, SK - Wallflower
22 - WPG | TE Douglas Northway | Allegheny (AMR) - Philadelphia, PA - ZO82
23 - CGY | WR James Johnson | New England - Boston, MA - Kingsfan11
24 - LDN | DL Christopher Hearson | Haynes - Hartford, CT - ZO82
25 - IND (from LI via WPG) | LB Zach Sexton | Louisville State (AMR) - Lexington, KY - Darknes
26 - EDM | RB Howie Bowman | Alberta Provincial (CAN) - Red Deer, AB - QCS
27 - BOS | DB Dallas Daniels | UHamilton - Hamilton, ON - MitchSwanson94
28 - WPG (from IND) | OL Damien Brisebois | Mont Bellevue - Sherbrooke, QC - Kingsfan11
29 - LI (from VAN) | OL Martin Dashaw | Major Ohio - Newcomerstown, OH - Jayhawk
30 - OTT | WR Tyler Jackson | Rideau - Ottawa, ON - Kingsfan11
31 - IND (from PRO) | RB Mark Waters | Maine State - Naples, ME - idm
32 - PIT | S Chris Berger | Upstate - Oswego, NY - RaysUp
33 - BUF | OL Humphrey Hogarth | Rockefeller (AMR) - Gary, IN - TheEnigmaticOne
34 - MIN | S Alex Spurrier | Toronto - Markham, ON - Darknes
35 - TOR (from MTL) | RB Nelson Barker | St. George - Toronto, ON - ZO82
36 - HFX (from LOU) | S Horace Treadaway | UHamilton - Windsor, ON - ZO82
Round 3
Toronto would kick off the 3rd round by taking a TE in Serge Peterson to add some depth at the position. Halifax would add some help on defence with DL Alexis Daskalakis out of Majeure Montreal. DB Kevin Krane would head up to Regina at 39th overall, as the Wheat Kings add a ball hawk to their defence.
Vancouver would then make the big shocking move in taking S Gunpei Koizumi. The Japanese player is the first to enter the NAAF’s new portal connection with the country. Vancouver had been watching Koizumi for some time since they had scouts already in Japan in recent years. There were a lot of concerns that Koizumi may look good against the “weaker” competition in Japan, but Vancouver feels differently. In fact, they may have used the previous perception to their advantage to take him later in the draft.
Calgary would go running back with their next pick, taking RB Buck Wilde, as they continue to add weapons to the offence. Providence would finally make their first pick, setting the record for the latest first selection in a draft, which was previously set by Long Island in 1965 with their first pick at 35th overall. The Gold Stars would play it safe and take an OL in Tom Pillsbury out of Dominion.
The Wolves would add a speedy WR with the 43rd pick, taking WR Graham Spencer. Edmonton would follow up by doubling down at RB, taking RB Vincent Marsden II to add a little power rushing to their future backfield. Boston’s 2nd pick would land them a solid OL Tyler Recht.
Finally, with pick 46, Winnipeg would end the long wait for QB Mitchell Nash, who slipped from being ranked 11th overall. Nash is the latest addition to the revamped Winnipeg QB room, with his big arm he has the potential to grow into a solid option if Winnipeg develops him right.
With their 3rd selection of the round, Vancouver would reach a bit for LB Casey Miller out of Pacific Provincial. Then, Indiana would take another corner in DB Jack Buswell. Providence also looked to add defensive depth, drafting DL Bryan Starks, which was then followed up by Pittsburgh taking the 3rd of the Wynn brothers in RB Cambyses Wynn. Buffalo would go for a speedy WR Ray Brydges with the 51st pick to add more youth to the offence.
Ahead of the 52nd selection, another trade would see the Royals and Serpents swap players and picks. The Royals would send veteran DL Winfield Winchester and their 4th Round Pick (66th Overall) to the Minnesota Serpents in exchange for TE Gabrielius Wiggins and Minnesota’s 3rd Round Pick (52nd Overall). The Royals looking to offload an aging player with a high cap to make room for DL Robin Lucas, while Minnesota adds depth and makes room for TE Xavier Francis Langford to make the move up to backup TE.
With the new pick, the Royals would pick S Theodore Young for depth in the secondary. Halifax would then add LB William Morrison for the defence, and finally, Louisville would go DB with just their second pick of the draft, taking DB Connor Church.
Round 3 Picks
37 - TOR | TE Serge Peterson | Brooklyn Metropolitan (AMR) - Brooklyn, NY - Stickman
38 - HFX | DL Alexis Daskalakis | Majeure Montreal - Montreal, QC - Kingsfan11
39 - REG | DB Kevin Krane | North Indiana (AMR) - Van Wert, OH - idm
40 - VAN (from WPG via LI) | S Gunpai Koizumi | Yokohama (INT) - Kawasaki, JP - QCS
41 - CGY | RB Buck Wilde | Major Wisconsin (AMR) - Milwaukee, WI - QCS
42 - PRO (from LDN) | OL Tom Pillsbury | Dominion - Kingston, ON - MitchSwanson94
43 - VAN (from LI) | WR Graham Spencer | Rockefeller (AMR) - Rockford, IL - MitchSwanson94
44 - EDM | RB Vincent Marsden II | Sudbury Provincial - North Bay, ON - Darknes
45 - BOS | OL Tyler Recht | Louisville State (AMR) - Dixon, KY - idm
46 - WPG (from IND) | QB Mitchell Nash | Haynes - Glens Falls, NY - MitchSwanson94
47 - VAN | LB Casey Miller | Pacific Provincial (CAN) - Vancouver, BC - ZO82
48 - IND (from OTT) | DB Jack Buswell | Saskatchewan Provincial (CAN) - Davidson, SK - Wallflower
49 - PRO | DL Bryan Starks | Central Ohio (AMR) - Columbus, OH - ZO82
50 - PIT | RB Cambyses Wynn | Western New York - Cheektowaga, NY - TheEnigmaticOne
51 - BUF | WR Ray Brydges | UHamilton - Hamilton, ON - Darknes
52 - OTT (from MIN) | S Theodore Young | Allegheny (AMR) - Scranton, PA - TheEnigmaticOne
53 - HFX (from MTL) | LB William Morrison | Toronto - Thunder Bay, ON - Dan O’Mac
54 - LOU | DB Connor Church | Montreal Provincial - Montreal, QC - Kingsfan11
Round 4
Once the 4th round hit, the teams settled in and pretty much just lived with the picks they had. There were a couple more trades. The first saw the Mariners pick up OL Gleeson Seidl from the Thunder for pick 56. The Thunder had recently signed Seidl to an extension, but clearly, they are re-evaluating the roster and he heads to Halifax for an extra pick. Louisville would go on to select OL Jeffrey Rodman with the pick.
To kick off the second round the Blue Wings would make their first selection of the draft, taking DB Oswald Martell’s twin brother, Lawrence. Lawrence is a physical defender, who is a little bigger than his brother. The Blue Wings get a solid young player for their aging secondary.
The Mariners would look to the future at WR going with Oliver Shephard at 20. With all 3 of the team’s top WRs being in their 30s now, a receiver was a must-get during the draft. Shephard is a small but scrappy WR who can still win battles at the catch point.
Regina would grab OL Simon Northcott out of Saskatchewan Provincial where new GM Aaron Thornton was previously. Northcott is a strong O-lineman who should be a good addition to the Wheat Kings’ offence.
Winnipeg would make another shocking move, taking a TE in Douglas Northway at 22nd. Many thought they would grab QB Mitchell Nash here, but they had other plans. All of the former WFU teams had to just find players that could play TE since the position didn’t exist in Canadian football. Many chose smaller O-linemen, except Vancouver just moved over a big WR. In the end, Northway is a receiving TE and is a sign Winnipeg is looking to evolve.
Calgary would double down at WR, taking WR Eric Norris’ college teammate, James Johnson. Johnson is a speedy WR who fits the bill for what Calgary looks for in a receiver. The combination of the two should be great for chemistry.
The Tigers would add on the D-line with their 3rd selection of the draft. DL Christopher Hearson is an athletic and powerful rusher who should be a good supplementary piece to an already young D-line.
Ahead of pick 25, Winnipeg would make another trade. They would send pick 25, the one they got in the Long Island trade, to the Indiana Victors for picks 28 and 46. The Victors would then select LB Zach Sexton, who had slid down from being ranked 17th in The Gains Report. Sexton is an aggressive prospect who likes to "hand out punishment" as he says. Could be a problem if he isn’t kept in line, but still a talented prospect.
Edmonton would continue to roll with local talent, adding RB Howie Bowman out of Alberta Provincial. A very athletic runner, whose best skill is evading tackles. He also has some issues with not putting in 100%, but he can get there with the right coach.
Boston would finally make their first selection of the draft and they would grab a much-needed corner in DB Dallas Daniels. A fiery corner that plays aggressively and fast. Obviously, he needs to work on taming some of the aggression, but he will still be a physical corner for the Independents.
Winnipeg would reach again with their 28th selection, taking OL Damien Brisebois. Brisebois would be the first-ever player to be drafted out of Mont Bellevue, creating a celebration in the city of Sherbrooke. Brisebois is a strong and physical force on the line, however, may need some time to develop having not had as much experience with top talent.
The Raiders would continue to be aggressive, trading up a second time in the draft. They would acquire pick 29 from the Vancouver Wolves in exchange for picks 40 and 43. They would then take the agile OL in Martin Dashaw, a player that HC Levi Bray is excited to get his hands on to use in a more dynamic offence.
The Ottawa Royals would land a hometown product in WR Tyler Jackson. The Royals continue their search for a top-tier WR by getting a great route runner in Jackson, who can make QB Drake Young’s life easy by getting into open space.
Indiana would take Maine State RB, Mark Waters, with pick 31. Waters is one of the fastest players in the draft, making him a scary player in open space, though he may want to gain a little more muscle to acquire said open space.
Pittsburgh would snag S Chris Berger, another player who was slipping down the draft board. Berger is a great over-the-top cover guy who can read the play but lacks a bit of strength in the tackling department.
Buffalo’s second pick of the 2nd round would be OL Humphrey Hogarth. Hogarth is a big and solid pass blocker that should provide some much-needed depth on the line.
Minnesota would take Toronto S Alex Spurrier, who is one of the most athletic prospects with great speed and strength, however, he is very raw in his technique in both tackling and coverage making him a bit of a project.
Toronto would go local with the 35th pick, taking RB Nelson Barker out of St. George. Another running back built with good speed that can be dangerous if he can find a hole in the defence.
Finally, the Mariners would go and select S Horace Treadaaway, the younger brother to DB Jack Treadaway who is currently in Halifax. The team hopes the sibling connection will help with Horace’s development and growth as a solid coverage safety.
Round 2 Picks
19 - BUF (from TOR) | DB Lawrence Martell | Western New York - Buffalo, NY - ZO82
20 - HFX | WR Oliver Shephard | Rhode Island State - Watertown, NY - Darknes
21 - REG | OL Simon Northcott | Saskatchewan Provincial (CAN) - North Battleford, SK - Wallflower
22 - WPG | TE Douglas Northway | Allegheny (AMR) - Philadelphia, PA - ZO82
23 - CGY | WR James Johnson | New England - Boston, MA - Kingsfan11
24 - LDN | DL Christopher Hearson | Haynes - Hartford, CT - ZO82
25 - IND (from LI via WPG) | LB Zach Sexton | Louisville State (AMR) - Lexington, KY - Darknes
26 - EDM | RB Howie Bowman | Alberta Provincial (CAN) - Red Deer, AB - QCS
27 - BOS | DB Dallas Daniels | UHamilton - Hamilton, ON - MitchSwanson94
28 - WPG (from IND) | OL Damien Brisebois | Mont Bellevue - Sherbrooke, QC - Kingsfan11
29 - LI (from VAN) | OL Martin Dashaw | Major Ohio - Newcomerstown, OH - Jayhawk
30 - OTT | WR Tyler Jackson | Rideau - Ottawa, ON - Kingsfan11
31 - IND (from PRO) | RB Mark Waters | Maine State - Naples, ME - idm
32 - PIT | S Chris Berger | Upstate - Oswego, NY - RaysUp
33 - BUF | OL Humphrey Hogarth | Rockefeller (AMR) - Gary, IN - TheEnigmaticOne
34 - MIN | S Alex Spurrier | Toronto - Markham, ON - Darknes
35 - TOR (from MTL) | RB Nelson Barker | St. George - Toronto, ON - ZO82
36 - HFX (from LOU) | S Horace Treadaway | UHamilton - Windsor, ON - ZO82
Round 3
Toronto would kick off the 3rd round by taking a TE in Serge Peterson to add some depth at the position. Halifax would add some help on defence with DL Alexis Daskalakis out of Majeure Montreal. DB Kevin Krane would head up to Regina at 39th overall, as the Wheat Kings add a ball hawk to their defence.
Vancouver would then make the big shocking move in taking S Gunpei Koizumi. The Japanese player is the first to enter the NAAF’s new portal connection with the country. Vancouver had been watching Koizumi for some time since they had scouts already in Japan in recent years. There were a lot of concerns that Koizumi may look good against the “weaker” competition in Japan, but Vancouver feels differently. In fact, they may have used the previous perception to their advantage to take him later in the draft.
Calgary would go running back with their next pick, taking RB Buck Wilde, as they continue to add weapons to the offence. Providence would finally make their first pick, setting the record for the latest first selection in a draft, which was previously set by Long Island in 1965 with their first pick at 35th overall. The Gold Stars would play it safe and take an OL in Tom Pillsbury out of Dominion.
The Wolves would add a speedy WR with the 43rd pick, taking WR Graham Spencer. Edmonton would follow up by doubling down at RB, taking RB Vincent Marsden II to add a little power rushing to their future backfield. Boston’s 2nd pick would land them a solid OL Tyler Recht.
Finally, with pick 46, Winnipeg would end the long wait for QB Mitchell Nash, who slipped from being ranked 11th overall. Nash is the latest addition to the revamped Winnipeg QB room, with his big arm he has the potential to grow into a solid option if Winnipeg develops him right.
With their 3rd selection of the round, Vancouver would reach a bit for LB Casey Miller out of Pacific Provincial. Then, Indiana would take another corner in DB Jack Buswell. Providence also looked to add defensive depth, drafting DL Bryan Starks, which was then followed up by Pittsburgh taking the 3rd of the Wynn brothers in RB Cambyses Wynn. Buffalo would go for a speedy WR Ray Brydges with the 51st pick to add more youth to the offence.
Ahead of the 52nd selection, another trade would see the Royals and Serpents swap players and picks. The Royals would send veteran DL Winfield Winchester and their 4th Round Pick (66th Overall) to the Minnesota Serpents in exchange for TE Gabrielius Wiggins and Minnesota’s 3rd Round Pick (52nd Overall). The Royals looking to offload an aging player with a high cap to make room for DL Robin Lucas, while Minnesota adds depth and makes room for TE Xavier Francis Langford to make the move up to backup TE.
With the new pick, the Royals would pick S Theodore Young for depth in the secondary. Halifax would then add LB William Morrison for the defence, and finally, Louisville would go DB with just their second pick of the draft, taking DB Connor Church.
Round 3 Picks
37 - TOR | TE Serge Peterson | Brooklyn Metropolitan (AMR) - Brooklyn, NY - Stickman
38 - HFX | DL Alexis Daskalakis | Majeure Montreal - Montreal, QC - Kingsfan11
39 - REG | DB Kevin Krane | North Indiana (AMR) - Van Wert, OH - idm
40 - VAN (from WPG via LI) | S Gunpai Koizumi | Yokohama (INT) - Kawasaki, JP - QCS
41 - CGY | RB Buck Wilde | Major Wisconsin (AMR) - Milwaukee, WI - QCS
42 - PRO (from LDN) | OL Tom Pillsbury | Dominion - Kingston, ON - MitchSwanson94
43 - VAN (from LI) | WR Graham Spencer | Rockefeller (AMR) - Rockford, IL - MitchSwanson94
44 - EDM | RB Vincent Marsden II | Sudbury Provincial - North Bay, ON - Darknes
45 - BOS | OL Tyler Recht | Louisville State (AMR) - Dixon, KY - idm
46 - WPG (from IND) | QB Mitchell Nash | Haynes - Glens Falls, NY - MitchSwanson94
47 - VAN | LB Casey Miller | Pacific Provincial (CAN) - Vancouver, BC - ZO82
48 - IND (from OTT) | DB Jack Buswell | Saskatchewan Provincial (CAN) - Davidson, SK - Wallflower
49 - PRO | DL Bryan Starks | Central Ohio (AMR) - Columbus, OH - ZO82
50 - PIT | RB Cambyses Wynn | Western New York - Cheektowaga, NY - TheEnigmaticOne
51 - BUF | WR Ray Brydges | UHamilton - Hamilton, ON - Darknes
52 - OTT (from MIN) | S Theodore Young | Allegheny (AMR) - Scranton, PA - TheEnigmaticOne
53 - HFX (from MTL) | LB William Morrison | Toronto - Thunder Bay, ON - Dan O’Mac
54 - LOU | DB Connor Church | Montreal Provincial - Montreal, QC - Kingsfan11
Round 4
Once the 4th round hit, the teams settled in and pretty much just lived with the picks they had. There were a couple more trades. The first saw the Mariners pick up OL Gleeson Seidl from the Thunder for pick 56. The Thunder had recently signed Seidl to an extension, but clearly, they are re-evaluating the roster and he heads to Halifax for an extra pick. Louisville would go on to select OL Jeffrey Rodman with the pick.
The second trade saw the Raiders move back from pick 61. They would send the pick to Calgary, picking up picks 65 and 77. Calgary would take OL Reshard Cross with their pick while Long Island would gamble on DL George Vangruensven, a DII player that has some penalty troubles.
A couple of LBs would finally land with teams in this round with Calgary taking LB Teddy Redmond and Indiana taking LB Patrick Weidner.
Round 4 Picks
55 - MTL (from TOR) | OL Bradley Smith | Toronto - Owen Sound, ON - Jayhawk
56 - LOU (from HFX) | OL Jeffrey Rodman | New England - Middleborough, MA - idm
57 - REG | WR Jack Knight | North Indiana (AMR) - Fort Wayne, IN - Burmy87
58 - WPG | LB Marcus Lowe | Baltimore State (AMR) - Baltimore, MD - DireBear
59 - CGY | LB Teddy Redmond | Rhode Island State - Queens, NY - idm
60 - LDN | WR Edgar Covington | Haynes - Newark, NJ - ZO82
61 - CGY (from LI) | OL Reshard Cross | London - Detroit, MI - ZO82
62 - EDM | DL Vince Bowens | UEdmonton (CAN) - Edmonton, AB - Wallflower
63 - BUF (from BOS via TOR) | OL Hobie McGough | Minnesota Tech (DIV II) - Duluth, MN - Dan O’Mac
64 - IND | LB Patrick Weidner | Rhode Island State - Providence, RI - Wallflower
65 - LI (from VAN via CGY) | DL George Vangruensven | Sioux Falls (DIV II) - Rapid City, SD - Dan O’Mac
66 - MIN (from OTT) | RB Murdoch Washington | Nova Scotia - Bible Hill, NS - ThisIsFine
67 - PRO | S Larry Lee Stichman | Kansas City (AMR) - McPherson, KS - Dan O’Mac
68 - LDN (from PIT) | S Tristan Verrett | Rockefeller (AMR) - Chicago, IL - Wallflower
69 - BUF | TE Nino Duggets | Saginaw State (DIV II) - Detroit, MI - NoE38
70 - TOR (from MIN) | OL Alec Smart | Rhode Island State - Braintree, MA - idm
71 - MTL | DL Stewart DuBoeuf | St-Laurent - Levis, QC - idm
72 - CGY (from LOU) | DL Darrell Kotal | Rockefeller (AMR) - Rockford, IL - Wallflower
Round 5
In the final round, the Raiders would take a kicker in Larry Chips, which was the first kicker to be selected since the London Tigers picked K Nimrod Handsworth 32nd overall in 1959. They ultimately made the pick after Winnipeg took the player they were targeting with the pick right before in RB Jarius Pederson.
The 5th round would also see most of the remaining QBs get selected. Halifax started the flurry with London’s QB Shawn Jolly. Minnesota would take QB Vladimir Orlov next, which was then followed up by QB Cameron Salahub going next to Edmonton. Salahub was the highest-graded of the three, which could be a good sign for the Rangers. The last QB to go would be Roger Stump to Ottawa.
Finally, the last pick of the draft would end up being DB Dale Dalebroux who joins the Louisville Thunder.
Round 5 Picks
73 - TOR | LB Kyle Taglianetti | West Mass State - Springfield, MA - Wallflower
74 - LDN (from HFX) | WR Jarred Reid | UPNB - Saint John, NB - idm
75 - REG | DL Anthony Lee | Royal Regina (CAN) - Regina, SK - Kingsfan11
76 - WPG | RB Jarius Pederson | Upstate - Woodstock, NY - Stickman
77 - LI (from CGY) | K Larry Chips | Louisville State (AMR) - Louisville, KY - NoE38
78 - HFX (from LDN) | QB Shawn Jolly | London - Toronto, ON - Kingsfan11
79 - MIN (from LI) | QB Vladimir Orlov | Brooklyn Metropolitan (AMR) - Brooklyn, NY - TheEnigmaticOne
80 - EDM | Cameron Salahub | Pacific Provincial (CAN) - Vancouver, BC - Darknes
81 - BOS | OL Lewis Murray | Akron State (DIV II) - Covington, KY - Burmy87
82 - OTT (from IND) | QB Roger Stump | Alberta Provincial (CAN) - Lethbridge, AB - ThisIsFine
83 - VAN | TE Simon Leblanc | Rideau - Sherbrooke, QC - Kingsfan11
84 - CGY (from OTT) | DB Hal Fredo | Upstate - Brooklyn, NY - Scratch
85 - HFX (from PRO) | WR Dexter Lallemont | Nova Scotia - Halifax, NS - Dan O’Mac
86 - PIT | TE Gaston Roland | Major Ohio (AMR) - Cleveland, OH - Jayhawk
87 - BUF | RB Josiah Sykes | Major Wisconsin (AMR) - Madison, WI - Burmy87
88 - MIN | LB Gegard LeBlanc | Riel (CAN) - Winnipeg, MB - Stickman
89 - MTL | S Kevin Marft | West Mass State - Worcester, MA - idm
90 - LOU | DB Dale Dalebroux | Central Pennsylvania (AMR) - Reading, PA - Dan O’Mac
Undrafted
QB Dallas Bowler | Rochester (AMR) - Auburn, NY - idm
DB Dan DeLeon | Haynes - Philadelphia, PA - NoE38
DL Daniel Chung | Royal Gardens (CAN) - Victoria, BC - JamHeronArk
K Dante DiBernardo | New England - Boston, MA - idm
WR Ferguson Tetlock | Newark (DIV II) - Moorestown, NJ - NoE38
OL Joseph Gibson | Cape Cod (DIV II) - Plymouth, MA - idm
LB Malcolm Oliver | Maine State - Portland, ME - ZO82
QB Pete Herman | Allegheny (AMR) - Pittsburgh, PA - idm
DB P.K. Butters | North Indiana (AMR) - Dayton, OH - JamHeronArk
DL Russell Lynch | Haynes - North Hempstead, NY - DireBear
TE Scott Kissell | Haynes - New Haven, CT - Wallflower
WR Steve Greco | Indiana Tech (AMR) - Kokomo, IN - TigersFan93
DL Trent Jones | Rhode Island State - Provincetown, MA - idm
LB Will Cox | Minnesota Tech (DIV II) - Little Canada, MN - Dan O’Mac
A couple of LBs would finally land with teams in this round with Calgary taking LB Teddy Redmond and Indiana taking LB Patrick Weidner.
Round 4 Picks
55 - MTL (from TOR) | OL Bradley Smith | Toronto - Owen Sound, ON - Jayhawk
56 - LOU (from HFX) | OL Jeffrey Rodman | New England - Middleborough, MA - idm
57 - REG | WR Jack Knight | North Indiana (AMR) - Fort Wayne, IN - Burmy87
58 - WPG | LB Marcus Lowe | Baltimore State (AMR) - Baltimore, MD - DireBear
59 - CGY | LB Teddy Redmond | Rhode Island State - Queens, NY - idm
60 - LDN | WR Edgar Covington | Haynes - Newark, NJ - ZO82
61 - CGY (from LI) | OL Reshard Cross | London - Detroit, MI - ZO82
62 - EDM | DL Vince Bowens | UEdmonton (CAN) - Edmonton, AB - Wallflower
63 - BUF (from BOS via TOR) | OL Hobie McGough | Minnesota Tech (DIV II) - Duluth, MN - Dan O’Mac
64 - IND | LB Patrick Weidner | Rhode Island State - Providence, RI - Wallflower
65 - LI (from VAN via CGY) | DL George Vangruensven | Sioux Falls (DIV II) - Rapid City, SD - Dan O’Mac
66 - MIN (from OTT) | RB Murdoch Washington | Nova Scotia - Bible Hill, NS - ThisIsFine
67 - PRO | S Larry Lee Stichman | Kansas City (AMR) - McPherson, KS - Dan O’Mac
68 - LDN (from PIT) | S Tristan Verrett | Rockefeller (AMR) - Chicago, IL - Wallflower
69 - BUF | TE Nino Duggets | Saginaw State (DIV II) - Detroit, MI - NoE38
70 - TOR (from MIN) | OL Alec Smart | Rhode Island State - Braintree, MA - idm
71 - MTL | DL Stewart DuBoeuf | St-Laurent - Levis, QC - idm
72 - CGY (from LOU) | DL Darrell Kotal | Rockefeller (AMR) - Rockford, IL - Wallflower
Round 5
In the final round, the Raiders would take a kicker in Larry Chips, which was the first kicker to be selected since the London Tigers picked K Nimrod Handsworth 32nd overall in 1959. They ultimately made the pick after Winnipeg took the player they were targeting with the pick right before in RB Jarius Pederson.
The 5th round would also see most of the remaining QBs get selected. Halifax started the flurry with London’s QB Shawn Jolly. Minnesota would take QB Vladimir Orlov next, which was then followed up by QB Cameron Salahub going next to Edmonton. Salahub was the highest-graded of the three, which could be a good sign for the Rangers. The last QB to go would be Roger Stump to Ottawa.
Finally, the last pick of the draft would end up being DB Dale Dalebroux who joins the Louisville Thunder.
Round 5 Picks
73 - TOR | LB Kyle Taglianetti | West Mass State - Springfield, MA - Wallflower
74 - LDN (from HFX) | WR Jarred Reid | UPNB - Saint John, NB - idm
75 - REG | DL Anthony Lee | Royal Regina (CAN) - Regina, SK - Kingsfan11
76 - WPG | RB Jarius Pederson | Upstate - Woodstock, NY - Stickman
77 - LI (from CGY) | K Larry Chips | Louisville State (AMR) - Louisville, KY - NoE38
78 - HFX (from LDN) | QB Shawn Jolly | London - Toronto, ON - Kingsfan11
79 - MIN (from LI) | QB Vladimir Orlov | Brooklyn Metropolitan (AMR) - Brooklyn, NY - TheEnigmaticOne
80 - EDM | Cameron Salahub | Pacific Provincial (CAN) - Vancouver, BC - Darknes
81 - BOS | OL Lewis Murray | Akron State (DIV II) - Covington, KY - Burmy87
82 - OTT (from IND) | QB Roger Stump | Alberta Provincial (CAN) - Lethbridge, AB - ThisIsFine
83 - VAN | TE Simon Leblanc | Rideau - Sherbrooke, QC - Kingsfan11
84 - CGY (from OTT) | DB Hal Fredo | Upstate - Brooklyn, NY - Scratch
85 - HFX (from PRO) | WR Dexter Lallemont | Nova Scotia - Halifax, NS - Dan O’Mac
86 - PIT | TE Gaston Roland | Major Ohio (AMR) - Cleveland, OH - Jayhawk
87 - BUF | RB Josiah Sykes | Major Wisconsin (AMR) - Madison, WI - Burmy87
88 - MIN | LB Gegard LeBlanc | Riel (CAN) - Winnipeg, MB - Stickman
89 - MTL | S Kevin Marft | West Mass State - Worcester, MA - idm
90 - LOU | DB Dale Dalebroux | Central Pennsylvania (AMR) - Reading, PA - Dan O’Mac
Undrafted
QB Dallas Bowler | Rochester (AMR) - Auburn, NY - idm
DB Dan DeLeon | Haynes - Philadelphia, PA - NoE38
DL Daniel Chung | Royal Gardens (CAN) - Victoria, BC - JamHeronArk
K Dante DiBernardo | New England - Boston, MA - idm
WR Ferguson Tetlock | Newark (DIV II) - Moorestown, NJ - NoE38
OL Joseph Gibson | Cape Cod (DIV II) - Plymouth, MA - idm
LB Malcolm Oliver | Maine State - Portland, ME - ZO82
QB Pete Herman | Allegheny (AMR) - Pittsburgh, PA - idm
DB P.K. Butters | North Indiana (AMR) - Dayton, OH - JamHeronArk
DL Russell Lynch | Haynes - North Hempstead, NY - DireBear
TE Scott Kissell | Haynes - New Haven, CT - Wallflower
WR Steve Greco | Indiana Tech (AMR) - Kokomo, IN - TigersFan93
DL Trent Jones | Rhode Island State - Provincetown, MA - idm
LB Will Cox | Minnesota Tech (DIV II) - Little Canada, MN - Dan O’Mac
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