CFL Scouting Bureau: Manitoba’s Onyemata tops final prospect list for 2016 draft

Photo credit David Lipnowski

OTTAWA (CIS) – David Onyemata, a defensive lineman from the University of Manitoba, tops the third and final prospect list released by the CFL's Scouting Bureau in advance of the league's 2016 Canadian Draft.

The new top 20 published Tuesday is comprised of 10 CIS standouts and as many hopefuls from the NCAA. Onyemata was ranked No. 2 on the Dec. 11 and Sept. 4 lists, both of which included 11 CIS players.

A native of Nigeria who had never played football before he moved to Canada five years ago, Onyemata enjoyed a dream season last fall in his fourth year with the Bisons.

The 6-foot-4, 300-pound senior was named a Canada West all-star for the second straight campaign, was recognized as an all-Canadian for the first time, and claimed the J.P. Metras Trophy as the top down lineman in CIS football. Despite being double-teamed on most plays, the 23-year-old nose tackle was second in his conference and ninth in the country with five sacks in eight league games and also ranked second in Canada West in tackles for a loss (7.5) and 12th in overall tackles (38.5).

Rounding out the list of CIS stars in the latest Scouting Bureau ranking are Laval offensive linemen Charles Vaillancourt (No. 6 / no change) and Philippe Gagnon (No. 9 / up four positions), Acadia wide receiver Brian Jones (No. 10 / up eight), UBC defensive back Taylor Loffler (No. 11 / down two), Calgary running back Mercer Timmis (No. 13 / down six), Laval O-lineman Jason Lauzon-Séguin (No. 17 / down three), Calgary DB Elie Bouka (No. 18 / down two), former Toronto wide receiver Llevi Noel (No. 19 / down two) and Queen's wideout Doug Corby (No. 20 / down one).

In May of last year, Calgary offensive lineman Sukh Chungh was the first CIS player selected in the CFL Canadian Draft when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers called his name at No. 2, marking the first time in nine years that the first pick overall was not a CIS product. Chungh had been ranked eighth, seventh and sixth, respectively, on the three prospect lists released over the course of the season.

Forty-four CIS players were selected in the 2015 CFL Draft (out of 62 total picks), including seven in the first round.

NOTE: The Scouting Bureau is comprised of CFL scouts, player personnel directors and general managers from the league's nine teams.

CFL SCOUTING BUREAU APRIL 26, 2016 LIST:

Rank - Name - University - Hometown - Pos. - Ht. - Wt. - PR

1. David Onyemata - Manitoba - Lagos, Nigeria - DL - 6-4 - 300 - (2)
2. Tevaun Smith - Iowa - Toronto, Ont. - WR - 6-2 - 205 - (1)
3. Mehdi Abdesmad - Boston Coll. - Montreal, Que. - DL - 6-7 - 286 - (4)
4. Arjen Colquhoun Michigan St. - Windsor, Ont. - CB - 6-1 - 202 - (5)
5. Josiah St. John - Oklahoma - Toronto, Ont. - OL - 6-6 - 308 - (3)
6. Charles Vaillancourt - Laval - Coaticook, Que. - OL - 6-4 - 325 - (6)
7. Alex Singleton - Montana St. - Thousand Oaks, Cal. - LB - 6-2 - 233 - (NR)
8. Trent Corney - Virginia - Brockville, Ont. - DE - 6-3 - 255 - (8)
9. Philippe Gagnon - Laval - L'Ancienne-Lorette, Que. - OL - 6-8 - 295 - (13)
10. Brian Jones - Acadia - Grand Lake, N.S. - WR - 6-4 - 230 - (18)
11. Taylor Loffler - UBC - Kelowna, B.C. - DB - 6-3 - 219- (9)
12. Juwan Brescacin - North. Illinois - Mississauga, Ont. - WR - 6-4 - 230 - (12)
13. Mercer Timmis - Calgary - Burlington, Ont. - RB - 6-1 - 220 - (7)
14. Dillon Guy - Buffalo - Hamilton, Ont. - OL - 6-4 - 310 - (11)
15. Anthony Thompson - South. Illinois - Montreal, Que. - DB - 6-1 - 208 - (15)
16. Michael Couture - Simon Fraser - Burnaby, B.C. - OL - 6-4 - 276 - (NR)
17. Jason Lauzon-Séguin - Laval - Pointe-Claire, Que. - OL - 6-4 - 300 - (14)
18. Elie Bouka - Calgary - Laval, Que. - DB - 6-1 - 205 - (16)
19. Llevi Noel - Toronto - Toronto, Ont. - WR - 6-2 - 200 - (17) *
20. Doug Corby - Queen's - Burlington, Ont. - WR - 6-2 - 190 - (19)

* Noel played for the University of Toronto in 2013 and 2014 but was not on the Varsity Blues roster in 2015.