George Johnson, Doug Corby named to CFL Scouting Bureau 2016 Draft class rankings

OTTAWA (CIS) – David Onyemata, a defensive lineman from the University of Manitoba, is the top-ranked CIS player on the initial prospect list released by the CFL's Scouting Bureau in advance of the league's 2016 Canadian Draft. 

Eleven CIS standouts found their way in the first rankings of the season, with perennial powerhouses Laval (4) and Calgary (3) accounting for seven of them. 

Onyemata, a 6-foot-4, 295-pound senior entering his fourth campaign with the reigning Canada West champion Bisons, was named a conference all-star for the first time in 2014 at the nose tackle position. The arts student started all eight league games last fall and, despite being double-teamed on a majority of plays, racked up 28 tackles, including 3.5 for losses and 1.5 quarterback sacks.  

A year ago, the top-ranked CIS player on the initial Scouting Bureau list was also from Manitoba. Onyemata's former teammate, slotback Nic Demski, opened the season at No. 3 and ended up being drafted sixth overall by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The other CIS stars on the September 2015 list are Calgary defensive back Elie Bouka (No. 4), Calgary running back Mercer Timmis (No. 5), Laval offensive lineman Charles Vaillancourt (No. 10), former Toronto wide receiver Llevi Noel (No. 12), Laval defensive back Michaël Langlois (No. 14), Laval offensive lineman Philippe Gagnon (No. 15), Queen's wide receiver Doug Corby (No. 16), Calgary wide receiver Brett Blaszko (No. 18), Laval offensive lineman Jason Lauzon-Séguin (No. 19) and Western wide receiver George Johnson (No. 20). 

Last May, 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 (out of 62 total picks) were selected in the 2015 CFL Draft, 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 release: http://www.cfl.ca/article/first-scouting-bureau-ranking-for-2016-draft-class-released

CFL video: http://www.cfl.ca/video/index/id/115597

Rank      Name    POS        School

1             Tevaughn Smith                WR         Iowa

2             David Onyemata               DL          Manitoba

3             Arjen Colquhoun               DB          Michigan State

4             Elie Bouka           DB          Calgary

5             Mercer Timmis   RB          Calgary

6             Josiah St. John    OL          Oklahoma

7             Dillon Guy            OL          Buffalo

8             Mitchell Winters               DL          Miami (Ohio)

9             Mehdi Abdesmad              DL          Boston College

10           Charles Vaillancourt         OL          Laval

11           Juwan Brescacin               WR         Northern Illinois

12           Llevi Noel            WR         Windsor AKO Fratmen

13           Anthony Thompson          DB          Southern Illinois

14           Michael Langlois               DB          Laval

15           Philippe Gagnon                OL          Laval

16           Doug Corby         WR         Queens

17           Trent Corney      DL          Virginia

18           Brett Blaszko      WR         Calgary

19           Jason Lauzon-Seguin       OL          Laval

20           George Johnson                WR         Western 

Source: CIS