2019-20 Stamps and CFL off-season thread

[Strange Brew]

I thought Williams was the clear cut #1? And how do we know the Stamps didn’t draft the same guy in the second round that they would have anyway?

I get the appeal to authority with Hufnagel as he knows what he’s doing obviously. But it’s a pretty valid criticism or question to wonder how the first overall pick could not have gotten you more.

[Cheese]

The final list of draft choices
Write ups on Stampeders.com

1st Round: DE Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund, Southeastern Louisiana (3rd)
2nd Round: WR Trivel Pinto, UBC (12th)
3rd Round: WR Rysen John, Simon Fraser (21st)
3rd Round: OL Jonathan Zamora, St. Francis Xavier (26th)
4th Round: LB Kurtis Gray, Waterloo (31st)
4th Round: WR Tyson Middlemost, McMaster (34th)
6th Round: DL Andrew Seinet-Spaulding, McGill (52nd)
7th Round: K Keiran Burnham, St. FX (61st)
8th Round: DB Michael Asibuo, Concordia (70th)

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I thought Williams was the clear cut #1? And how do we know the Stamps didn’t draft the same guy in the second round that they would have anyway?

I get the appeal to authority with Hufnagel as he knows what he’s doing obviously. But it’s a pretty valid criticism or question to wonder how the first overall pick could not have gotten you more.

Pure logic
If it could have gotten more why didn’t it?
This isn’t the NFL. It’s a league with a handful of teams
So it is safe to say he probably talked to all gms and got the heat deal out there

[transplant99]

It may have been the best he could get, but that does not make it a good deal, or a good value deal.

I/we don't question Hufnagel much as it is beyond obvious the guy is the best in the business as far as knowing where to find, procure, and slot players. It is not his first questionable trade though.

But to strange brews question, no Williams was not the "clear cut #1". In fact before the NFL draft occurred and teams in the NFL signed all their UDFA's, he was bordering on 1st/2nd round. That doesnt mean he isn't worthy of going 1 though. Having a Canadian patrol the middle of the LB group doesn't happen all that regularly, or at least one who is a playmaker like he projects. Singleton and guys like him in the past are unicorns to a point.

Teams draft for need in the CFL and IMO only, LB is a MUCH bigger need than DL for Calgary. That's my "objection" to this deal. As I noted, Adeyemi-Berglund becomes the 18th D-lineman on the roster heading into camp.

All that being said, IAB looks to be a stud of a player. 3 sacks against the team that just won the NCAA title is a pretty good indicator of how good he might be. Watching a bunch of clips of him, he has quickness and a motor that doesnt stop. He could become a great player for sure.

[transplant99]

Danny Austin
@DannyAustin_9

On post-draft conference call, Stamps president/GM John Hufnagel says the team's plan was to take Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund with the first overall pick, had they kept it.

So moving up 3 spots in the 2nd round to get the guy you were going to take anyways makes sense if that's all that was being offered.

Still not a great value of a deal though.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Pure logic
If it could have gotten more why didn’t it?
This isn’t the NFL. It’s a league with a handful of teams
So it is safe to say he probably talked to all gms and got the heat deal out there

That's not pure logic. That's pure assumption.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

That's not pure logic. That's pure assumption.

in what way?

[John Doe]

Originally Posted by transplant99

So moving up 3 spots in the 2nd round to get the guy you were going to take anyways makes sense if that's all that was being offered.

Still not a great value of a deal though.

I think it was a good deal, and for more than just the improved 2nd round pick.

The first overall pick is great, but there are some potential downsides too. Some players have a hard time dealing with the pressure of being picked first overall. See JSJ over in Saskatchewan, Gaydosh and Muamba (at the start of his career) as examples. In addition, the first overall pick appears to demand a premium when it comes to signing them. If the Stamps are telling the truth that they had IEB related as the best pick, then just for salary and expectations it would be better to pick him third rather than first.

[dash_pinched]

A lot of focus on who the Stamps missed on rather than who they selected - Looking at the highlight reel for IAB, he looks like a great pick. As far as Trivel Pinto is concerned, he had a fantastic career at UBC and looks to be in tremendous shape if the youtube video on the previous page is any indication. Rysen John out of SFU was signed by the Giants as a free agent after not being selected in the NFL draft, if he doesn't stick in New York, it could be another big target for Bo.

I just hope we get to enjoy CFL games later this year.

[dino7c]

So some of you would rather they take the same guy at #1 and get nothing else?

[Slanter]

I think at this point, it's more likely that the CFL could get some sort of season done this year than the NFL. I wonder if that affects bubble guys like Singleton, who could earn a pretty decent paycheck in the CFL. If I'm him, and it looks like the CFL is going to get its season off the ground, I'd take the guaranteed money over an uncertain job, in a league that might not have a season this year.

Another scenario that I think is likely is that the CFL pulls of a shortened fall-winter schedule (has to be done by December I think), while the NFL start is pushed into February or something and they have a shortened winter-spring schedule.

Again, how does that affect bubble CFL-NFL players?

[Da_Chief]

Teams have their own lists. Williams was not #1 on Stamps list, he was on Lions. Simple as that, Huff knew that and dropped down in round 1 to move up in round 2.

LB is not a need right since they're going American in all 3 spots.

They signed McGough to probably a decent contract so there's a potential to see Canadian lining up at DE - McGough / IAB if they needed it.

National spots are G / C / G / Rec / Rec / DT / S for Stamps with ability to do DE if they require.

As for the prospects..

IAB (DE) - He looks great, good first step and a motor that keep going, smart guy with special teams ability. He converted from LB so he can pay LB as well, fast guy with size.

Pinto (WR) - Troubles well advertised, but he can flat out fly. Can return kicks so he's going to make the team and push the outside guys for playing time. His former teammate Dakoda Shepley of the Riders didn't just retweet his selection but commented on how Calgary got a good one.

Rysen (WR) - Size and skill, signed with Giants but Giants always sign bunch of Canadians after the draft and barely any stick. They're converting him to TE, they already have 6 TE's coming to camp before he got signed. He's a long shot to make it imo. We should see him in Calgary.

Zamora (C) - He plays nasty, played both C and G. He's a big boy, 320 lbs. Right now he'd behind 8 other guys on the depth chart for both C and G. Likely end up on the practise roster as they develop him.

Gray (LB) - Listed as LB but I think he will be getting safety reps behind Metchie. Good size at 6'2".

Middlemost (WR) - Probably the only questionable pick. He'll be hard pressed to make the team and likely won't make the PR either so not sure why they took him this early. Average production at USports level but who knows he might surprise.

Seinet-Spaulding (DT) - Won lots of hardware (outstanding down lineman in the country in 2019) to complete his USports career. Average height (6 feet) dropped him this far. Almost 300 lbs so provides depth behind Wiggan and Desjardins with ability to start in couple of years.

Burnham (P) - He did some place kicking too but mostly a punter, competition for Pfeffer.

Asibuo (DB) - Still has 2 years of college eligibility left so will come to camp but likely sent back to school at the end.

Another note: Marken Michel was released by the Eagles again. With how deep the WR class was this year in the NFL draft, it's going to be hard for him to get another shot with any team. Will keep an eye on it and see if he comes back to the Stamps/CFL.

[CaptainCrunch]

I think that one of the criteria this year was to bring in young players that have a special teams resume. I mean if you look at the Stamps they're pretty deep at most positions and they probably have the best Canadian Depth at Skills. so it makes sense to bring in guys with strong specials so they can develop into a starter. They did it with Singleton.

[Sainters7]

Mark Stephen just tweeted this out, quote from Hufnagel after the Draft regarding the trade:

"...In the afternoon I became kind of a popular guy, I started getting phone calls. Ed (BC GM Hervey) and I were able to make a deal out that we both were comfortable with..."

He was kind of a popular guy regarding his pick and that was the best offer? Hmmm...
I'm not going to go on and on about this, but that quote jumped out at me. Just goes against what we thought yesterday, about a lack of interest in the #1 pick resulting in that deal.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

Mark Stephen just tweeted this out, quote from Hufnagel after the Draft regarding the trade:

"...In the afternoon I became kind of a popular guy, I started getting phone calls. Ed (BC GM Hervey) and I were able to make a deal out that we both were comfortable with..."

He was kind of a popular guy regarding his pick and that was the best offer? Hmmm...
I'm not going to go on and on about this, but that quote jumped out at me. Just goes against what we thought yesterday, about a lack of interest in the #1 pick resulting in that deal.

Yeah but again - why would he NOT take the best deal he could.
I'm not sure what people think happened here. That Huff didn't take the best offer he could find? I bet the entire league had interest in the pick - doesn't mean they were willing to beat BC's offer.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Yeah but again - why would he NOT take the best deal he could.

I'm not sure what people think happened here. That Huff didn't take the best offer he could find? I bet the entire league had interest in the pick - doesn't mean they were willing to beat BC's offer.

I'm thinking that if he was that "popular" as he called it, that it would give him leverage with those calling him to turn it into more Draft capital. True maybe the offers just weren't that great, it just seems odd that if he's getting all these calls from other teams, that was the best he could muster.

Anyways it is what it is at this point, we'll just have to wait and see how it plays out in a couple years. Just kind of a head-scratcher, especially given what he said post Draft, which is why I revisited it today.

[tvp2003]

Well, assuming Huff really wanted who he got at three, it meant there was only a small list of teams that would have given him that opportunity (Toronto, BC, and maybe Edmonton at four).

As for only moving up from 15 to 12, if it meant a better chance they could get the guy they really wanted in the second round, then I can see why they pull the trigger. At the end of the day, if Huff got the two guys he wanted, it doesn’t really matter where they were picked.

Looks strange on paper but I guess that’s what happens in a draft with only nine teams and the tiers aren’t as clearly defined as they might be in the NHL or NFL.

[dash_pinched]

Some nice words from Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund's college coach:

“The Calgary Stampeders are fortunate to have Isaac join their team,” Southeastern head coach Frank Scelfo said.

“What they’re getting is a young man who will be a positive catalyst on and off the field. Isaac was not only a great player, but a great leader for us and Calgary can expect the same impact.”

https://3downnation.com/2020/05/02/s...yemi-berglund/

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by dash_pinched

Some nice words from Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund's college coach:

“The Calgary Stampeders are fortunate to have Isaac join their team,” Southeastern head coach Frank Scelfo said.

“What they’re getting is a young man who will be a positive catalyst on and off the field. Isaac was not only a great player, but a great leader for us and Calgary can expect the same impact.”

https://3downnation.com/2020/05/02/s...yemi-berglund/

The article mentions he is from Nova Scotia. I actually wonder how much that plays into the process now — we’ve lost some good, young Canadian talent in recent years (Durant, Brescacin, Adeleke come to mind) from players wanting to go “home” to BC and Ontario. Got one “back” in McEwan, but I wonder how much it matters now.

Brisset (who went second to the Argos) is from Toronto; I wonder if Huf had him ranked lower and/or felt that’s where he would go, ensuring IAB would still be around at three...

[dash_pinched]

The article also mentioned that IAB hit the books as hard he hit opponents:

Adeyemi-Berglund also was a standout academically during his time at SLU, twice earning CoSIDA Academic All-District and Southland Conference All-Academic recognition. Adeyemi-Berglund, who earned his degree in exercise science with a 3.81 grade point average, became the first player in school history to earn CoSIDA Academic All-American honors following his senior season and was also named to the National Football Foundation Hampshire Society.