With two first-round picks, GM Maciocia believes Als will likely be higher after draft

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Whereas this yr’s Canadian faculty draft class isn’t thought of notably deep, the Alouettes, for the second consecutive yr, have two first-round picks. And three of the highest 13.

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That makes normal supervisor Danny Maciocia assured the group will likely be higher come Tuesday evening.

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“If you check out it and break it down, that’s the place the worth is available in at 5, seven and 13,” Maciocia advised the Montreal Gazette. “We’re proud of these three picks as we take a look at them proper now. As they arrive off the board, we anticipate there needs to be high quality there out there. Then it turns into a query of what path we wish to go.”

What path that can take will grow to be clearer after 8 p.m. (TSN1, TSN3, RDS.ca), when the choice course of begins. The Ottawa Redblacks have the primary total alternative as of now. The Als, who completed 9-9 final season, have their very own decide at 5, but additionally secured British Columbia’s first-rounder (seventh total) with final season’s commerce of quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. Together with the thirteenth total decide, Montreal will make 5 further alternatives over eight rounds.

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Maciocia brought on a stir final season when he traded with Edmonton to pick linebacker Tyrell Richards first total. Maciocia made a second take care of Winnipeg to safe the Blue Bombers’ ninth total decide, used to nab receiver Tyson Philpot. Whereas Richards was often injured in 2022, Philpot was the East Division nominee because the CFL’s excellent rookie.

The Als didn’t have a first-round decide from 2018-21 — the league cancelled the 2020 season as a consequence of COVID-19 — after former GM Kavis Reed relinquished quite a few picks to Hamilton for the providers of quarterback Johnny Manziel, who solely spent one season with Montreal.

Whereas it appears unlikely the same situation will transpire once more, Maciocia didn’t rule out something.

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“If it makes our group higher, completely,” he mentioned. “There’s a number of (gifted) gamers in each (positional) group. How do they arrive off the board after the primary 4? We’ll take the most effective participant we predict can are available and assist us, whether or not it’s now or in some unspecified time in the future in time. That’s the way you construct a aggressive group, by the Canadian draft. These picks are necessary. They’re essential and have important worth so far as the roster composition is worried. We worth them and really feel we’re going to get a little bit bit higher when Tuesday evening rolls round.”

Whereas Syracuse offensive-lineman Matthew Bergeron, a Victoriaville native, is ranked first by the CFL’s scouting bureau, he was chosen within the second spherical (thirty eighth total) final week by the Atlanta Falcons, that means he’ll possible slip to the later rounds on Tuesday.

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Some potential early Als picks may very well be 6-foot-4, 270-pound Southern Utah defensive-lineman Francis Bemiy, a Montreal native who produced 13 sacks in 49 profession video games, or linebacker Michael Brodrique, a Université de Montréal product. Maciocia, who coached on the faculty earlier than returning to the CFL, has displayed a penchant for taking Carabins gamers.

Bemiy and Brodrique are rated tenth and eleventh, respectively, by the CFL. One other potential participant on the Als’ radar may very well be Houston Christian offensive-lineman Edouard Paradis, a Lévis native who’s 6-foot-4 and 320 kilos.

Maciocia and his scouts have spent 4 months getting ready for the draft and can proceed exhausting all avenues earlier than the method begins.

“All of those guys are gifted on the finish of the day,” he mentioned. “They should be an excellent match and have an excellent angle. Make certain they nonetheless wish to play and their coronary heart’s on coming to Montreal. We’re in a a lot better place now than we’ve been the previous couple of years.”

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