2011 CFL Evaluation Camp: 45 of 53 participants from CIS schools

Photo credit David Moll Calgary OTTAWA (CIS) – Forty-five CIS players have been invited to the 2011 Canadian Football League Evaluation Camp set to take place in Toronto from March 4 to 6.
Canadian Interuniversity Sport student-athletes make up 85 percent of the 53 participants announced Thursday by the CFL.

The three-day event is an opportunity for general managers, coaches and scouts to test, interview and evaluate prospects who they may select in the 2011 CFL Canadian Draft on Sunday, May 8.
“This is an enormously important weekend for these talented prospects and we wish them luck in making the most of this rare opportunity,” said CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon. “It’s an equally significant event for all of us in the CFL. Our teams are only as strong as their Canadian talent, and a CFL franchise is only as strong as the connection between its fans and their fellow Canadians on the field.”

Twenty-three of the 26 CIS football programs will be represented at the event.

The Calgary Dinos, CIS finalists each of the past two seasons, and the reigning OUA champion Western Ontario Mustangs lead the way with four invitees apiece. The Laval Rouge et Or, who captured their fifth Vanier Cup in eight years last November, are one of four teams with three participants.

Ottawa quarterback Brad Sinopoli, the reigning Hec Crighton Trophy winner, and St. Francis Xavier linebacker Henoc Muamba, the 2010 Presidents’ Trophy recipient as the best defensive player in the nation, are among the CIS players who hope to impress CFL teams in two weeks.

Sinopoli is one of two CIS pivots who will make the trip to Toronto, along with Regina’s Marc Mueller. A year ago, three CIS quarterbacks were invited including two-time Hec Crighton winner Erik Glavic of Calgary, 2009 Vanier Cup MVP Danny Brannagan of Queen’s and Justin Dunk of Guelph. Brannagan was later signed by Toronto and even took the field in the Argonauts’ regular season finale.

Other notables who will take part in the E-Camp include Calgary slotback Anthony Parker and Queen’s offensive tackle Matthew O’Donnell, who represented CIS in January at the prestigious East-West Shrine Game in Orlando, Florida.

Also of note, Laval’s Christopher Milo and Alberta’s Hugh O’Neill will become only the third and fourth kickers to attend the camp in 10 years. Guelph’s Rob Maver, who was invited a year ago, was later selected fifth overall by Calgary in the CFL Canadian Draft and went on to lead the CFL in scoring in 2010 with 185 points. UBC’s Duncan O’Mahony participated in 2001 and enjoyed an eight-year CFL career.

CIS PARTICIPANTS
Name – Pos – HT – WT – Hometown – University

Gregory Alexandre DL 6-2 285 Montreal, Que. Montreal
Pascal Baillargeon OL 6-5 300 St-Anselme, Que. Laval
Anthony Barrette OT 6-5 320 Verdun, Que. Concordia
Mathieu Boulay DL 6-2 250 Magog, Que. Bishop’s
Chris Burnett LB 5-11 230 Brampton, Ont. York
Craig Butler DB 6-2 196 London, Ont. Western Ontario
Andre Clarke CB 6-1 193 Mississauga, Ont. York
Nathan Coehoorn WR 6-2 220 Medicine Hat, Alta. Calgary
Brendan Dunn OL 6-7 280 Burlington, Ont. Western Ontario
Jade Etienne WR 6-3 160 Regina, Sask. Saskatchewan
Callan Exeter DB 6-2 187 Ajax, Ont. Mount Allison
Kyle Exumé RB 5-10 198 Brooklin, Ont. Bishop’s
Marc-Antoine Fortin DL 6-4 245 Quebec City, Que. Laval
Jedd Gardner WR 6-1 195 Niagara Falls, Ont. Guelph
Braeden George WR 6-1 195 Saskatoon, Sask. Saskatchewan
Craig Gerbrandt DL 6-2 260 Sherwood Park, Alta. Alberta
Thomas Hall LB 6-3 223 Winnipeg, Man. Manitoba
Jeffrey Hecht LB 5-10 202 Edmonton, Alta. Saint Mary’s
Shane Herbert CB 6-2 180 Ajax, Ont. Wilfrid Laurier
Chris Hodgson DL 6-3 260 Fredericton, Ont. Saint Mary’s
Michael Knill OL 6-6 350 Rochester Hills, Mich. Wilfrid Laurier
Alex Krausnick-Groh OL 6-3 290 Calgary, Alta. Calgary
Hugo Lopez DB 6-3 205 Newmarket, Ont. Toronto
Liam Mahoney WR 6-1 207 Lachine, Que. Concordia
Michael Miller DB 6-1 208 Riverview, N.B. Acadia
Christopher Milo K 5-11 205 Montreal, Que. Laval
Henoc Muamba LB 6-0 230 Mississauga, Ont. St. Francis Xavier
Marc Mueller QB 6-0 200 Regina, Sask. Regina
Edem Nyamadi RB 5-9 196 Montreal, Que. Concordia
Matthew O’Donnell OT 6-11 340 Kingston, Ont. Queen’s
Hugh O’Neill K 6-2 185 Edmonton, Alta. Alberta
Brenden Owens WR 6-1 185 Regina, Sask. Regina
Anthony Parker WR 6-2 215 Okotoks, Alta. Calgary
Alexander Robinson DL 6-5 253 Vancouver, B.C. Western Ontario
Yannick Sage OL 6-4 310 Sherbrooke, Que. Sherbrooke
James Savoie DB 5-9 190 Niagara Falls, Ont. Guelph
Daud Semalulu WR 6-2 215 Gatineau, Que. Ottawa
Bradley Sinopoli QB 6-4 210 Peterborough, Ont. Ottawa
John Surla LB 5-11 231 Niagara Falls, Ont. Western Ontario
Sébastien Taché OL 6-4 275 Montreal, Que. Montreal
Peter Thiel LB 6-1 210 Regina, Sask. Saskatchewan
Benjamin Thompson DL 6-1 275 Fredericton, N.B. McGill
Daryl Townsend DB 6-1 190 Windsor, Ont. Windsor
Junior Turner DL 6-3 230 Brampton, Ont. Bishop’s
Matt Walter RB 5-10 210 Calgary, Alta. Calgary

NCAA PARTICIPANTS
Troy Adams DB 5-10 175 Toronto, Ont. Northeastern State (Oklahoma)
Dan Cordick DL 6-2 235 Vancouver, B.C. Eastern Michigan
Marco Iannuzzi WR 6-1 195 Calgary, Alta. Harvard
Scott Mitchell OL 6-4 295 Ottawa, Ont. Rice
Jack Range OL 6-7 300 Ottawa, Ont. California U. of PA
Renaldo Sagesse DL 6-4 289 Montreal, Que. Michigan
Lance Stilborn RB 5-10 225 Lemberg, Sask. Mayville State
Carl Volny RB 5-10 195 Miramar, Flo. Central Michigan

-CIS-