Made in Alberta - Draft Picks
Grant Shaw selected Rd 2 - 11th Pick by Toronto Argonauts in CFL Draft
Mitch Ward, CFL.ca
Edmonton native Grant Shaw presents an interesting opportunity to CFL teams because he can kick, punt and line up in the defensive secondary.
Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 210 lbs., and born 1984-08-03 in Edmonton, AB. Shaw is bigger than your average CIS cornerback and a lot bigger than the average kicker.
A standout for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies the last two years, Shaw was named a Canada West All-Star at corner for the Huskies in 2009 while also nailing 19 of 23 field goals and handling the team’s punting duties.
Shaw’s size, strength and versatility have made him an enticing prospect for CFL teams and earned him an invitation him to the CFL Evaluation Camp presented by Reebok a few weeks back.
Not bad for a guy who almost quit football after high school. Following his senior year, Shaw tried out for the Edmonton Huskies of the Prairie Football Conference and was cut.
“Being cut was very eye-opening for me. It kind of knocks you down a peg,” says the 25-year old Edmonton native. “Initially, I didn’t think I’d go back.”
Shaw ended up spending two years playing flag football before friends convinced him to give football another shot.
“The guys said you gotta start playing again, and that really motivated me to make a comeback, so I tried out for the Huskies again in ‘04 and made the team as a corner.”
Shaw had a breakout year and won a national championship with the Edmonton Huskies in 2005, recording 12 interceptions in 12 games. He also took over the team’s kicking duties that season. In his last season with the Huskies, Shaw was named the PFC’s special teams player of the year, kicker of the year and an all-star at defensive back.
After taking another year off, Shaw joined another Huskies squad, this time at the U of S. Last season, his second with Saskatchewan, he recorded 18 tackles with one interception, one breakup and one forced fumble.
He also hit over 80% of his field goal tries, tied a Canada West record with a 55-yarder and averaged 38 yards per punt. And that was with his ankles taped and spatted.
At E-Camp Shaw may not have put up the eye-popping numbers of some of his fellow participants, but he quietly put together a very impressive weekend. He posted a 38” vertical leap, ran a 4.62 40-yard dash and finished in the upper tier of nearly every testing category, while also impressing in the one-on-ones.
“I think my testing went well,” he says, “I trained extremely hard for it, came close to all of my goals and I think the teams were impressed with my athleticism.”
The biggest question now is what to do with him?
Shaw is almost certainly not going to continue doing triple-duty at the pro level. Whether he ends up as a kicker or DB will likely be determined by the needs of whatever team gives him a shot.
At this point Shaw is still hedging his bets on which he would prefer.
“I really don’t know, I love both, I have been training hard for both and would be happy doing either,” he says.
If he remains a defensive player Shaw would likely make the switch to safety and see action on special teams. Even though he never played on the cover teams at the U of S due to his kicking duties, Huskies head coach Brian Towriss doesn’t think he’d have any trouble making the switch.
“Grant is an incredible athlete, very much in the mold of a Dylan Barker” says Towriss. Barker, another former Huskies DB, led the CFL with 37 special teams tackles for the Ticats last season.
Towriss also noted that Shaw excelled during special teams drills during practice despite never seeing the field in that capacity.
As a kicker Towriss also feels that Shaw is ready for the pros. “He’s ready to place kick at the CFL level. He has a strong leg and good natural technique,” he says.
High praise for someone who has never been formally trained as a kicker or devoted himself to doing it full-time in the university or junior ranks.
“With all of my teams so far it has been kind of don’t mess with a good thing. Shaw is kicking the ball and it’s working, so let him do what works for him,” he says.
“Getting tips and working with pros and guys who know what they’re talking about could only help me.”
Between now and the draft Shaw is continuing to work hard on improving himself at both positions.
“As a DB speed is a huge factor, the faster I can get the better and just improving my footwork and eliminating wasted steps in my dropbacks and breaks,” he says. “Kicking I just need to work on being more consistent.”
“Grant is such a competitor, he just wants to play,” adds Towriss “he could have a great future in the CFL.”
With his talent and versatility he certainly could. We’ll just have to wait to see which position that future will be at. And with the Canadian Draft coming up on May 2, we’ll find out sooner rather than later.
Curtis Dublanko selected Rd 2 - 15th Pick by Montreal Allouettes in CFL Draft
by Jayson Hajdu, UND Athletic Media Relations
GRAND FORKS, N.D. - University of North Dakota inside linebacker Curtis Dublanko was selected 15th overall by the defending Grey Cup champion Montreal Alouettes in today's Canadian Football League Canadian Draft.
Montreal's linebackers coach is former UND standout linebacker and defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar.
Dublanko is coming off of an outstanding junior season in which he led the Fighting Sioux in solo tackles with 47. The Thorsby, Alberta, native appeared in all 11 games, including seven starts, and ranked second on the team in total tackles (59) and third in tackles-for-loss (6.5) and sacks (2.0). He also had two quarterback hurries, one interception, one pass breakup and one fumble recovery.
Dublanko was named Great West Conference Defensive Player of the Week after matching his career high with 10 tackles in a win at Central Arkansas in the season finale.
Following the season, the 6-0, 235-pound Dublanko was named UND's Most Valuable Defensive Player and Most Valuable Linebacker
An accounting major, Dublanko was also named to the 2009 Great West Conference Fall All-Academic team and received the team's Paul R. Kubesh Memorial Award.
Dublanko, who will return to UND for his senior season in 2010, would become the third former Sioux currently playing in the CFL, joining former teammates Weston Dressler and Donovan Alexander. Both play for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
| Position: | Linebacker - LB |
| Height: | 6'0" |
| Weight: | 235 |
| Year: | Junior |
| Hometown: | Thorsby, Alberta |
| High School: | Leduc Composite High School |
Enters the season as the backup strong side inside linebacker.
2008 (Sophomore): Appeared in nine games as a reserve linebacker ... Finished the season with three total tackles (two solo) ... Earned 2008 Great West Academic All-Conference honors ... Recipient of the 2008 Athletics Director Award of Merit ... Earned second letter.
2007 (Freshman): Named to NCC Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll ... Named NCC Special Teams Player of the Week on Nov. 5 after recovering an errant punt snap and returning it five yards for a touchdown against St. Cloud State (Nov. 3) ... Also had a pair of tackles in that game ... Appeared in seven games as a reserve inside linebacker and made eight tackles (seven solo) ... Earned first letter.
2006: Redshirt season.
Before UND: A 2006 graduate of Leduc Composite High School ... Holds the school record for career tackles (348) ... Named 2005 Most Valuable Player of the Edmonton Metro League ... Registered 115 tackles and averaged more than nine yards per carry as a senior ... A Calgary Midget League All-Star in 2004 and 2005 ... A three-year team captain at Leduc (2003-05) ... Also lettered three straight years as a running back and linebacker ... Also competed in track and field and was a provincial semi-finalist in the high jump.
Personal: Majoring in accounting ... Son of Deryld and Cheryl Dublanko.
Dublanko’s career defensive statistics |
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YEAR |
GP-GS |
UA |
A |
TOT |
TLF |
INT |
PBU |
RF |
FF |
QBH |
SACK |
2007 |
7-0 |
7 |
1 |
8 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
1-5 |
0 |
0 |
0-0 |
2008 |
9-0 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0-0 |
TOTALS |
16-0 |
9 |
2 |
11 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
1-5 |
0 |
0 |
0-0 |
Personal highs |
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Tackles: 2 (2x), last 09/18/08 at Idaho State |
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Solo Tackles: 1 (3x), last 11/08/08 vs. Southern Utah |
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John Bender selected for CFL Draft
John Bender selected Rd 3 - 17th Pick by Calgary Stampeders in CFL Draft
NEVADA - University of Nevada
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A talented player with great size who will compete for conference honors from one of the guard positions on the offensive line … Named fourth-team Preseason All-WAC by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview.
2008: Battled injuries but started half the season at one of the guard spots … Again proved to be a strong force on one of the best offensive lines in the WAC … Part of a unit that led the way for the second-best rushing attack in the nation and allowed just 16 sacks during the regular season … Converted from the tackle spot before the season.
2007: Emerged to start five of the first six games for Nevada until going down with a knee injury … Returned in a limited role at the end of the regular season and played in the New Mexico Bowl … Helped pave the way for the WAC's leading rushing attack and leading rusher in Luke Lippincott … Part of an offensive line unit that allowed just 25 sacks on the year.
2006: Redshirted his first year at Nevada.
HIGH SCHOOL
A graduate of Cochrane High School in Cochrane, Alberta, Canada … Was a standout defensive lineman on a team that won three provincial championships and went 38-0 … Named team MVP in football and track and field … Also was Offensive Lineman of the Year … Won nine letters, three each in football, basketball, and track and field (shot, discus) … Also part of one basketball and two track and field teams that won provincial titles … Won three shot put provincial titles … Was named Cochrane High School's Athlete of the Year … An all-star in basketball… Named Alberta's Track and Field Athlete of the Year.
PERSONAL
Born March 9, 1987 in Three Hills, Alberta, Canada … Son of Waldemar and Linda Bender … Majoring in management.
Anthony Woodson selected Rd 4 - 29th Pick by Winnipeg Blue Bombers in CFL Draft
Photo by David Moll
2008: Sustained broken ribs near the end of the Manitoba game in Week 2, sidelining him for five games…returned for the final game of the regular season, then both CW playoff games…finished with 105 yards on 36 carries on the year…scored two touchdowns – one receiving, one rushing – in Calgary’s 44-21 win in the Hardy Cup…
2007: Led Canada West in rushing with 1183 yards, the second best rushing season in school history (Craig Kittelson, 1992)…together with freshman Matt Walter combined to break the UC’s single-season rushing record by more than 400 yards…led the Dinos with 1294 all-purpose yards…named a Canada West all-star at running back…runner up for Canada West Player of the Year honours (QB Teale Orban, Regina)…second team All-Canadian…
2006: Finished eighth in Canada West rushing with 554 yards…scored six TDs…caught 29 passes out of the backfield for 197 yards and two TDs…
Before UC: Earned a spot on the national U-19 team that played at the Global Football Challenge in Miami in February 2007…member of Alberta provincial team in 2005…won 4A city and provincial championships with St. Francis HS in 2004…played 2005 season in Benica, Calif…won 33 consecutive games in high school…
Personal: Parents Tony and Cindy…full name Anthony Michael Woodson…graduate of Calgary’s St. Francis High School…born in Ottawa…majoring in petroleum land management in the Haskayne School of Business…father Tony played six years in the CFL with the Calgary Stampeders and the Ottawa Rough Riders…Anthony Sr. also spent time with the Denver Broncos…
Made in Alberta - CFL Second Year
Simeon Rottier was born in Westlock Alberta. His career in football took off when he played for the Edmonton Huskies, where he played a large roll in winning the Canadian Bowl Championships in 2004, and 2005 with his teamates. He was named the 2005 PFC Offensive Lineman of the year.
His career continued to get better, when he played 3 seasons at the University of Alberta. He was a first team All-Canadian in 2008, and a second team All Canadian in 2007. He was also named a Canada West All Star three times from 2006 - 2008. He played in the 2007 CIS West Bowl, and the 2008 NCAA East-West Shrine Bowl.
In 2009 Simeon was selected by the Ticats in the first round (1st overall) 2009 CFL Canadian Draft. In his rookie year, he played all 18 games.
Congratulation Simeon from all your fans in Alberta!
(Picture and Information from Hamilton Tiger Cats Website)
