The 2020 CFL draft is in the books. It got off to a fun start when the BC Lions traded with the Calgary Stampeders for the first overall pick.
With that first overall selection, the Leos selected the Linebacker Jordan Williams from East Carolina. This makes the sixth consecutive year that the first overall pick has come from an NCAA school.
This is the fifth time in franchise history that the Lions have had the first overall pick in the CFL Draft. By coincidence it is also the fifth time a Linebacker has been taken first overall. (We have previously noted the last one to go this high, Henoc Muamba, was a great pick).
There were a range of mock drafts in the run up to the real thing of course, and some had Williams as top pick. I don’t think I ever saw one that had BC trading up for him though. Which proves a point previously made on this site – you never can be sure with mock drafts.
The CFL Draft First Round Picks
| 1 | BC | Jordan Williams | LB | ECU | Louisville, Ken. |
| 2 | Toronto | Dejon Brissett | REC | Virginia | Mississauga, Ont. |
| 3 | Calgary | Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund | DE | Southeastern Louisiana | Dartmouth, N.S. |
| 4 | Edmonton | Tomas Jack-Kurdyla | OL | Buffalo | Montreal |
| 5 | Hamilton | Coulter Woodmansey | OL | Guelph | Toronto |
| 6 | Ottawa | Adam Auclair | DB | Laval | Quebec City |
| 7 | Saskatchewan | Mattland Riley | OL | Saskatchewan | Melfort, Sask. |
| 8 | Hamilton | Mason Bennett | DE | North Dakota | Winnipeg |
| 9 | Toronto | Theren Churchill | OL | Regina | Stettler, Alta. |
Two Intriguing Picks
There are always some players that catch the eye in any draft. In this one, two picks were particularly intriguing.
First was Nathan Rourke QB from the Ohio Bobcats. He was BC’s second pick, and went 15th overall. A two time winner of the Cornish Trophy, Rourke is a dual-threat QB. He finished his Bobcats career 24-13 as a starter. During his time under centre he led Ohio to three-straight bowl victories.
Most intriguing of all however, he is a Canadian QB. A talented Canadian QB – and there’s nothing CFL fans would like to see more than an homegrown talent succeed at this pivotal position.
Second up is Offensive Lineman Ketel Asse of Laval. Asse had been projected to the second or third round in the draft despite being for some one of the best linemen availabe.
Instead the Ottawa REDBLACKS made him the 65th overall pick in the final round of the 2020 CFL Draft. This has the potential to be a tremendous value pick when we look back in a few years. Time will tell.
The best thing about all of this has been having some fun CFL sports action to follow. In the barren sporting landscape created by Covid-19 the 2020 CFL Draft was a welcome distraction. Now it is a case of waiting to see when these players get their chance and how careers will play out. it may be a while but it will be fun to watch when it happens.
Featured image: Overall #1 pick Jordan Williams and intriguing pick Nathan Rourke. Image from tsn.ca