First-round selection Woodmansey highlights crop of 28 OUA draftees during CFL draft
Burlington, Ont. – It was a night to remember for several of the conference's brightest stars, as 28 players who have suited up for an OUA squad had their names called during the 2020 CFL Draft, which aired on TSN and TSN.ca on Thursday, April 30.
Guelph Gryphons offensive lineman Coulter Woodmansey, a first team all-star in 2019, was the first OUA player off the board, courtesy of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and their fifth overall selection. The 6'5", 325lb force was among the most sought after at his position in the draft class, with only fellow OL Tomas Jack-Kurdyla taken before him amongst his peers in the trenches.
A pair of conference award-winners were among those to find a new home in the second round. Jack Cassar, a linebacker from the Carleton Ravens, and Queen's Gaels defensive end Cameron Lawson went 11th and 16th overall, respectively. The Toronto Argonauts used their third pick of the night to take Cassar, and in doing so, are getting the reigning OUA Stand-Up Defensive Player of the Year and one of the most impactful tacklers to hit the university gridiron of late. Lawson, a player who is known for helping those around him excel while being a prominent focal point himself for the opposition, will be joining the Montréal Alouettes after taking home the Lineman of the Year award in his fourth year with the Tricolour.
Ottawa's Alain Pae (Pick 13, Edmonton Eskimos), who hails from the Czech Republic and played the 2017 season with the Garnet and Grey; McMaster's Noah Hallett (Pick 18, Winnipeg Blue Bombers), who after securing a Yates Cup win of his own will join his brother on the reigning Grey Cup champions; and Wilfrid Laurier's Samuel Acheampong (Pick 20, Toronto Argonauts) finished off the five OUA selections in Round 2.
Waterloo Warriors receiver Tyler Ternowski was the next OUA player off the board, being selected by his hometown Hamilton Tiger-Cats with the 27th pick. That selection started a trend of six straight Ontario players hearing their names called; a craze that continued throughout the rest of the draft, with another 17 OUA student-athletes earning a coveted pick in the 2020 CFL Draft.
When the dust settled on the eight-round endeavor, it was the Western Mustangs, McMaster Marauders, and Guelph Gryphons – the three teams to make up the most recent Yates Cup championships – that topped the field of Ontario schools with four selections apiece, while six other OUA squads also saw their student-athletes take the next step in their football journey.
The complete list of OUA draft picks are below:
Round 1
Coulter Woodmansey, Guelph Gryphons, OL | Pick 5 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Round 2
Jack Cassar, Carleton Ravens, LB | Pick 11 | Toronto Argonauts
Alain Pae, Ottawa Gee-Gees, DL | Pick 13 | Edmonton Eskimos
Cameron Lawson, Queen's Gaels, DE | Pick 16 | Montréal Alouettes
Noah Hallett, McMaster Marauders, DB | Pick 18 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Samuel Acheampong, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, DL | Pick 20 | Toronto Argonauts
Round 3
Tyler Ternowski, Waterloo Warriors, REC | Pick 27 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Dylan Giffen, Western Mustangs, OL | Pick 28 | Toronto Argonauts
Round 4
Jakub Szott, McMaster Marauders, OL | Pick 29 | Ottawa Redblacks
Kian Schaffer-Baker, Guelph Gryphons, REC | Pick 30 | Saskatchewan Roughriders
Kurtis Gray, Waterloo Warriors, LB | Pick 31 | Calgary Stampeders
Dotun Aketepe, Guelph Gryphons, DB | Pick 32 | Edmonton Eskimos
Tyson Middlemost, McMaster Marauders, REC | Pick 34 | Calgary Stampeders
A.J. Allen, Guelph Gryphons, LB | Pick 35 | Saskatchewan Roughriders
Round 5
Marc Liegghio, Western Mustangs, K | Pick 39 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Dion Pellerin, Waterloo Warriors, RB | Pick 42 | Toronto Argonauts
Joseph Bencze, McMaster Marauders, OL | Pick 45 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Round 6
Brad Cowan, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, LB | Pick 47 | Ottawa Redblacks
Jonathan Femi-Cole, Western Mustangs, RB | Pick 53 | Saskatchewan Roughriders
Kyle Rodger, Ottawa Gee-Gees, LB | Pick 55 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Round 7
Réshaan Davis, Ottawa Gee-Gees, DE | Pick 56 | Ottawa Redblacks
Kayden Johnson, York Lions, RB | Pick 58 | B.C. Lions
Rossini Sandjong, York Lions, DE | Pick 59 | Edmonton Eskimos
Jesse Lawson, Carleton Ravens, OL | Pick 62 | Saskatchewan Roughriders
Tanner Cadwallader, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, LB | Pick 64 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Round 8
Damian Jamieson, York Lions, LB | Pick 67 | B.C. Lions
Mitch Raper, Carleton Ravens, RB | Pick 68 | Edmonton Eskimos
Bleska Kambamba, Western Mustangs, DB | Pick 73 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers